CUMTA

3233 buses. 633 distinct routes. Serving a ridership of 28 lakh commuters per day through the dedicated efforts of a workforce of 19,762 employees stationed at 31 depots across the city. That is a snapshot of Chennai’s bus network run by the Metropolitan Transport Corporation, or MTC.  With able support and financial assistance, it could well prove to be the most efficient means of public transport in the city, but ask any commuter, do they really see it as the most comfortable, hassle-free mode of travel? The answers in the negative will perhaps outweigh the positive ones. Amulya, a frequent…

As I climbed the stairs of the Velachery - Taramani link road Foot Over Bridge (FOB) at around 9 pm, I found myself in near total darkness as the FOB did not have any lights. The FOB has a roof on the top and sheets on the side, limiting light from the street entering it. Using the flashlight from my phone, I climbed further. Soon I found footsteps following me. A man was climbing the stairs behind me. Gripped by fear, I turned around, pretended to make a phone call and waited till he walked past me.  As I walked…

“I board a share auto near my house in Virugambakkam to the metro station in Ashok Nagar to get to work every day. I use a share auto on my return as well,” says G Balakumar, a frequent share auto-user in Chennai. Over the years, share autos have become an integral means of first and last-mile connectivity for many in the city. They fill a necessary gap and bolster the use of public transport in the city by providing a reliable and cheap mode of transport. With a growing user base, it becomes necessary to bring in some form of…