Chennai: The 16-seater, air-conditioned, hop-on hop-off mini buses do not make for comfortable journey for passengers as the buses are ill-maintained with no proper air-conditioners. B. Nandini, a resident of Chromepet who travels around 20 km a day, prefers AC buses after her hectic day at work. But it becomes a gruelling journey when she sits inside a crowded bus with sealed windows – and with just the fan running.
“The AC doesn’t work on bus route No. 114 (16-seater bus). But the bus charges are the same as AC Volvo buses. I usually avoid this bus. But I have to board this when I’m in a hurry,” said Nandini. “It becomes worse when the bus is overcrowded and the AC doesn’t work,” she added. People who travel on the Tambaram-Red Hills route are familiar with the 16-seater, AC buses.
These are the buses that were discontinued a few months ago from the airport- Koyambedu route by the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC). These bus servicees, which charged Rs110 per person from airport, were suspended due to poor “patronage”, according to Mr R. Ananthapadmanabhan, general manager (operations), MTC. There are four 16-seater buses bus route Nos. 114 and 70 which ply from Vandalur Zoo / Tambaram to Red Hills / Avadi via Koyambedu.
Some of the passengers who travel by this route frequently complain that the AC doesn’t work but they are charged as per the other AC buses.Since it is a smaller bus compared to other Volvo AC buses, there is a problem of overcrowding too.“If it gets overcrowded, sometimes we transfer the passengers to another bus as it causes suffocation without the AC,” said a conductor in one of these mini AC buses.
Banu P, who works in a private firm, said most of the AC buses have the same problem. “When we question the conductor, he requests us to ‘adjust’ as the fan is working. But the problem is these buses have sealed windows. I feel it will be very difficult during summer.” The MTC general manager told DC that they haven’t received any complaints regarding this and that they will take action if they get any.According to MTC, commuters can lodge their complaints and suggestions with the grievance cell of MTC on 9445030516 and 9383337639. Commuters can also e-mail their complaints to feedback@mt-cbus.org.
