The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Reporter's Diary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 22, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reporter's Diary

Hapless commuters

Rickety buses, jutting nail ends, broken grab rails and protruding pieces of iron, both inside and outside - the list of problems and deficiencies in MTC buses is unending...

Commuters suffer in silence due to leaky roofs. It is not uncommon to see passengers holding unfurled umbrellas over their heads inside the bus while commuting. The crew vociferously complain that the management, depot and field officers have turned a blind eye to the sufferings of the public. Recently, an MTC officer said teams had been formed to repair leaky roofs. However, it is not known as to what the management proposes to do and the progress of repair work, if any.

Taking a backseat

To continue in the same vein, the absence of adequate supervision over MTC services is taking a toll on commuters in another form. The other day, commuters who boarded the bus near Srinagar Colony in Thirumullaivoyal (Route No. 71-F, Fleet No. AMG 56, Registration Number TN-01-N-1597) noted that many of the seats did not have any cushions and backrests.

When the crew was asked about the condition of the bus, they replied that they had no option but to operate the service. A commuter said that when he pointed this out to the authorities at the Ambattur depot his query was not addressed. In essence passenger amenities have taken a back seat!

Picnic spot

Rains have brought out the "good side" of people. Porur Lake, which for several years now, has been an the open defecation ground for people in and around the area, looks serene and even beautiful. A drive past the lake is a now pleasant journey unlike in the past when all one saw was men, women and children squatting along its edges.

At any time of the day, one could see people washing animals and clothes in the same water. The lake is one of the reservoirs linked to the city's drinking water system. These past few weeks the lake has not been defiled and it now appears like a picnic spot.

Raising a stink

Any regular traveller along Egmore's Gandhi Irwin Bridge would have found the stench emanating from a large dump on the roadside, nauseating. Over the past week, the problem has turned acute.

On Monday morning, when rainwater stagnated at the foot of the bridge, the problem took a turn for the worse (photo).

Vehicles moved at a slow pace while riders and commuters on public transport vehicles had to withstand the stink for a longer time.

Contributions by: K.T. Sangameswaran, T. Madhavan and R. Sujatha.

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