CHENNAI: With the state government suspending inter-district transportation within zones, over 1200 bus services operated by six transportation corporations have been cancelled.
The bus services which partially resumed from June 1 after a nearly two-month gap received good patronage among commuters.
On Friday, major bus stands and depots in Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and Salem wore a deserted look since only select city buses were operated.
The buses provided huge relief for inter-district travellers who had been in lockdown since March 23.
Since the government temporarily imposed restrictions up to June 30, more than 50 percent of mofussil and town buses operated between districts were cancelled.
“The Villupuram division of TNSTC resumed over 700 bus operations from June 1. Now we have suspended over 350 bus services and in the coming days more buses may not be operated. If there are no (inter-district) mofussil buses, there will be less demand for town buses,” said a senior transport official.
Though the transport corporations allowed the operation of 50 percent of their fleets during the lockdown, Villupuram, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Salem, Coimbatore and Kumbakonam corporations resumed buses only in sections with high demand. Private bus operators too resumed skeletal services in select routes.
The government’s decision resulted in suspension of over 60 percent of buses which were resumed on June 1st mainly because of the shrinkage of district borders across the state.
“Buses were operated from Vellore bus stand to Tirupattur, Vaniyambadi, Ambur and Walajah for every five minutes. Now all these destinations fall in Ranipet and Tiruppattur districts as a result of which more bus services are now canceled,” said Vellore resident K Sathish.
It may be recalled that bus services remain suspended in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts since March 25.