C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Will private bus operators be allowed in Chennai to operate buses
following the acute shortage of bus service?
A Second Master Plan Traffic and Transportation Review Committee
meeting held last month has put forth a proposal to the state
government to bring amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to
permit participation of bus operators in the city.
This follows as there is a shortage of bus service and government
alone cannot bear this burden and increasing public transport
facilities is very critical to reduce vehicular traffic density in the
city.
It is learnt that the overcrowding in the MTC is as high as 150 per
cent and the demand far outstrips supply leading to inhuman condition
of travel.
This is attributed to the inadequate fleet strength and poor
frequency. It is learnt that MTC has around 4,000 buses which is
operating in 71 routes.
A source who attended the meeting said that the committee has only
recommended to the government. “It is up to the government to decide,”
the source added.
He said that despite multi-modal integration happening in Chennai with
the introduction of Chennai Metro Rail this year, people will still be
dependent on buses.
As the demand outstrips the supply, plan could also be to have private
buses on wet-lease. The routes could be selected by MTC so that
private operators should not limit themselves to operate the buses
only on profitable routes.
Besides, MTC should also have a check on the bus operator. He said
that such models are being followed in other cities of the state.
“Only in Chennai, it has yet to be implemented,” he said.
It is also learnt that the committee has requested the government also
to implement the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project at Rajiv
Gandhi Salai. The feasibility study on BRTS has already been submitted
to the government.
Transport experts believe that BRTS will help increase modal share of
public transport which is also one of the objectives of Second Master
Plan (SMP). It is learnt that one of the objectives of SMP is to
achieve the modal split of 70:30 between public and private transport
by 2026
Chennai:
Will private bus operators be allowed in Chennai to operate buses
following the acute shortage of bus service?
A Second Master Plan Traffic and Transportation Review Committee
meeting held last month has put forth a proposal to the state
government to bring amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to
permit participation of bus operators in the city.
This follows as there is a shortage of bus service and government
alone cannot bear this burden and increasing public transport
facilities is very critical to reduce vehicular traffic density in the
city.
It is learnt that the overcrowding in the MTC is as high as 150 per
cent and the demand far outstrips supply leading to inhuman condition
of travel.
This is attributed to the inadequate fleet strength and poor
frequency. It is learnt that MTC has around 4,000 buses which is
operating in 71 routes.
A source who attended the meeting said that the committee has only
recommended to the government. “It is up to the government to decide,”
the source added.
He said that despite multi-modal integration happening in Chennai with
the introduction of Chennai Metro Rail this year, people will still be
dependent on buses.
As the demand outstrips the supply, plan could also be to have private
buses on wet-lease. The routes could be selected by MTC so that
private operators should not limit themselves to operate the buses
only on profitable routes.
Besides, MTC should also have a check on the bus operator. He said
that such models are being followed in other cities of the state.
“Only in Chennai, it has yet to be implemented,” he said.
It is also learnt that the committee has requested the government also
to implement the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project at Rajiv
Gandhi Salai. The feasibility study on BRTS has already been submitted
to the government.
Transport experts believe that BRTS will help increase modal share of
public transport which is also one of the objectives of Second Master
Plan (SMP). It is learnt that one of the objectives of SMP is to
achieve the modal split of 70:30 between public and private transport
by 2026
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