The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Reader's Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 27, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reader's Mail

Poor bus service to Saidapet West

Saidapet West area is populated by middle class families with a lot of working women and school going children. They have to walk at least 20 to 30 minutes to catch the bus from the Saidapet main bus terminus to reach their destinations. Their ordeal becomes greater during rainy days.

Currently there are only 18K, 10A and 88C serving Saidapet West, and they are highly irregular and unpredictable. One can never depend on these buses to reach one's destination in time. Even these buses do not cater to the commuters who ply between Saidapet West and Mylapore, Alwarpet, Mandaveli areas.

If regular bus service can be provided between Saidapet West and the Saidapet main terminus, at least during the peak hours, it will immensely benefit the commuters, a majority of whom are women and children.

We request the authorities to take necessary steps to provide the required bus services and mitigate the sufferings of the commuters from Saidapet West area.

Public Awareness Committee

Gemini Communications Ltd.

Chennai

Mini buses for suburban areas

The United Forum of Nanganallur Welfare Association welcomes the Supreme Court verdict refusing to stay the mini bus scheme and the decision of the Tamil Nadu Government to increase the number of mini buses to 5000. This will definitely provide a great relief to the harassed commuters.

While the rural populations in districts are taken care of, the suburban populations are totally neglected. They have to depend on local conveyance, which is not affordable to the middle and lower middle class people in commuting from one place to another in the suburban areas. It is necessary to provide mini buses to alleviate the sufferings of the suburban residents. For example, interior areas of Nanganallur and Adambakkam should be connected to the respective railway stations through circular route mini buses. We request the Government of Tamil Nadu to consider the matter favourably.

V. Rama Rao,

Gen. Secy. UFNWA

Mosquito menace

The Alandur Municipality deserves full appreciation for all its sincere efforts in helping its residents with all the basic facilities such as drinking water, electricity, metalled roads, etc. But, there is one persisting problem in the area — the mosquito menace. Though drainage work has almost been completed in the Adambakkam and Alandur areas, mosquitoes do not spare the people in the area. Though the residents try their level best to safeguard themselves from mosquito bite by fixing Netlon to the windows, burning mosquito coils, etc., they are fighting a losing battle. The staff of the Alandur Municipality who used to spray disinfectants (liquid form) in all the streets are conspicuously absent these days. Steps such as fumigating the streets should be resumed by the Municipality, in addition to arranging for spraying of disinfectants.

J. Manohar Singh,

Adambakkam

Wedding halls without parking facilities

When I returned from Anna Nagar through MMDA colony recently, traffic was blocked for more than 20 minutes. I thought some VIP was passing through that side. When I enquired about the delay, a car driver told that there are two wedding halls without any parking facilities in the area. Many two wheelers were parked on the road in front of the halls. Those who come by car or autorickshaw to the function, get down in front of the halls and the cars then look for a place to park, slowing down the traffic. The problem worsens during marriage season.

One cannot understand how the MMDA authorities gave permission to built two wedding halls opposite each other without parking facilities. When vehicle users are increasing by the day, and when we are not in a position to expand roads, the authorities need to act wisely.

T. Kanakasabai,

Chennai

Welcome decision

It is heartening to see in almost all MTC buses the route number board with destination and en route stops being displayed on the side entrance. Though this was in vogue quite a few years back, it was abruptly abandoned and its reappearance is a welcome sign.

At the same time, it is sad to note that very few conductors of MTC buses are in the habit of calling out the names of the stops as they come. They should bear in mind that many outsiders travel in the MTC buses. They are not familiar with the bus routes and landmarks, and if they miss the particular stop, it puts them to a lot of inconvenience. It would be good if all conductors are advised to call out the names of each stop or nearby landmarks, which will enable the passengers, especially the strangers to the city to get down at the right stop.

Similarly, there are many MTC bus stops without proper shelters for the waiting commuters. Summer is fast approaching. Hence, I urge the MTC authorities to take immediate action for the provision of shelters wherever they are needed and save the passengers from the scorching sun.

S. Jayabalan,

West Mambalam

Restore 21-D

21-D is an established route from Indira Nagar to Parry's for the past 35 years. There were 7 services, which was reduced to 3 services in 2005 and in the beginning of 2006 the three services were extended to Tiruvanmiyur. As such there is no bus starting from Indira Nagar to Parry's. All the buses from Thiruvanmiyur, namely 6-D, 21-D, T-21 are jam packed when they come to Indira Nagar. It is not possible for students, aged, sick and the ladies to get into any of the buses at Indira Nagar. Hence it is necessary that all the 21-D buses should be restored to Indira Nagar.

T.N. Manikanteswaran,

Chennai

Overflowing sewage

Sewage is overflowing at the junction of GST Road and Station Road of Tambaram Sanatorium, affecting thousands of people walking along the Station Road to reach Railway Station. Besides the bad smell, the entire stretch of Station Road is an invitation to disease. Will the authorities take steps to stop the sewage overflowing?

R. Krishnamoorthy,

Chennai

No services to Kotturpuram

Kotturpuram seems to have been specially marked out for neglect by the Transport authorities. T. Nagar and Adyar are nearby areas, but there are no regular services to these places from Kotturpuram.

47F (Kotturpuram to Villivakkam) makes four trips in a day, making it for all practical purposes no service at all. One has to take a bus (21G, 18B) to Gandhi Mandapam paying Rs. 2 to 3 and change to 47, 47A, 17D for T. Nagar, paying yet another Rs. 3.50 to 4 -- in all Rs. 5.50 to 7.00, as against the regular bus fare of Rs. 3.50 from Kotturpuram to T. Nagar by 47F, thus spending twice the amount of time and money.

The same is the case with Adyar. One has to first take a bus to Gandhi Mandapam, walk a furlong to the Anna University bus stop and catch any of the buses going to Besant Nagar/ Thiruvanmiyur, spending double in time and money.

There used to be bus route No. 4E from Kotturpuram to Adyar side, though with very low frequency. Even that is not seen these days.

Likewise, 18B is the only direct bus from Kotturpuram to Parrys Corner. Its frequency has also been slashed, with the result one has to take a bus to Gandhi Mandapam and take 23C to Parrys Corner, spending extra time and money.

Will the Transport authorities look into this and bring some relief to the hapless commuters?

Dr. Srinivasa Rangaswami,

Chennai-600085.

Inadequate bus services

The existing bus services between Koyambedu to Kancheepuram, and Kancheepuram to Koyambedu on route No. 79, are not enough for the commuters as there is a heavy crowd in the buses on the route especially from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at both ends. Because of the overcrowding, commuters have no choice but to travel standing the whole distance of 50 km on most days.

I wish to suggest to the authorities that a bus from Ashok Pillar to Kancheepuram and Kancheepuram to Ashok Pillar may be operated every 15 minutes regularly during the busy hours. Secondly if it possible women's special buses may be operated at both ends. 'The departure timings may be 7.30, 8.30 and 9.00 in the morning at Koyambedu and 4.00, 5.15, 6.00 in the evening at Kancheepuram.

G. Kurupatham,

Chennai-44.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail