Chennai: Recovering from the devastating Vardah tropical cyclone, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), Chennai, restored the bus services. As per official estimate the MTC has suffered a loss of about Rs 4 crores with the feisty cyclone damaging 208 buses, blowing roofs of bus stations and depots besides snapping power supply. “The MTC took restoration work on war-footing and repaired about 208 buses that were damaged when the Vardah cyclone on Dec. 12 lashed and broke the windscreens, passenger seats and ripped the roofs. Even the doors of buses were not spared,” a statement said on Saturday.
Due to the calamitous conditions the bus services on the arterial GST Road, Poonamallee Road, Anna Salai and other important routes were suspended as a precaution later in the day. On the fateful day, when the suburban train services were stopped, the MTC swung into action and operated 63 specials and transported 9,610 stranded passengers and additionally operated 87 specials on Dec. 13 to help another 8,000 persons reach to the safety of their homes.
Strong gales blew away the roofs at Saidapet, Pallavaram, Chromepet, T. Nagar and Tambaram bus stations apart from damaging the compound walls of the depots at Padianallur, Mahakavi Bharathy Nagar, Semmancheri, Perambur and Adambakkam. The rainwater seeped into the diesel tanks in some depots. About 150 trees that fell on depots and bus stations were cleared and work is on to lay roof in the affected locations.
