The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Breakdowns plague ageing MTC buses

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Breakdowns plague ageing MTC buses

Sandhya Soman

Corporation says it's introducing 350 new buses Nearly 50 to 60 buses run out of steam on the roads every day, concede officials

CHENNAI: Once they sported fresh green paint on their sure and sturdy bodies. Now age and lack of maintenance have caught up with a majority of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation's buses, increasing the number of breakdowns in the middle of city roads.

Nearly 50 to 60 buses break down every day, according to senior MTC officials. "There has been an increase in the number of break-downs in the last one month," says a senior MTC official.

This has to be brought down to at least 40, they say.

The increase in number of buses losing steam halfway is nothing new. S. Vijayalakshmi, 65, says she is used to stepping down from buses midway and getting onto the ones that come her way.

"But the buses coming behind will already be crowded. I find it difficult to get on to them," she says.

Shaky footboards

If Santha from CIT Nagar find the "rattling seats" and lack of adequate number of hand railings inconvenient in such overcrowded buses, G. Govindaraj from K.K. Nagar says he is "afraid of the shaky footboards."

According to the MTC staff, breakdowns pose another problem. During Monday's flash strike they alleged that when buses break down while they are being brought to the depot, the vehicles are classified in the "not run" category and the staff marked absent.

The Corporation officials are aware of the need to upgrade their fleet. Especially when it is trying to phase out old and polluting vehicles and introduce 350 new buses this year that conform to Euro III standards.

"Nearly 1,000 buses have to be replaced immediately if we have to fully utilise the strength of our fleet," says the official.

However, financial constraints prevent MTC from carrying out routine maintenance work as well as reconditioning of engines, nozzles and fuel injection pumps.

"Now that the diesel prices have gone up, the Corporation will have to spend an additional Rs. 1.1 crore per month on fuel," adds the official.

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