All the buses plying from Avadi and Ambattur OT during the peak hours were fully packed with complete disregard for social distancing norms. Not only all the seats were occupied on Monday morning but also people were travelling in packed buses.

S Aravindan, a resident of Avadi and an accountant at Sowcarpet, said that he used to take EMU service from Avadi to Central and then take a share-auto to reach his workplace before the lockdown. “In the absence of local train service, I am forced to take the 71E plying between Avadi to Broadway. Even though the bus is crowded, I have no other option but depend on public transport for the daily commute. As a precaution, I will come early and try to find a seat,” he said.

For people living along the MTH road, the train service is the lifeline as it runs parallel to it. “The train service was not only cheap but also provided a faster mode of transport. Since the entire stretch is dotted with industries, the buses always remained crowded. In the absence of train service, the crowd has increased in number,” said T Sadagopan, Pattabiram-based consumer activist.

He said that wherever the demand is more, the bus services should be increased. “To maintain social distancing, the MTC should operate services to Ambattur industrial estate to specially cater to the industrial workers,” he said, complaining that the MTC has stopped B70 service between Pattabiram and Guindy.

A senior MTC official said that they have increased the peak hour bus services in those areas by about 50 per cent to cater to increased demand. Our conductors are facing a tough task to regulate the passengers crowding the buses. Even if they ask the passengers to maintain social distancing, they are “simply ignoring their advice or engage in arguments,” he said.

Out of total fleet strength of 3,300 buses, MTC has been operating 2,700 buses in the city. “During pre-COVID times, about 30 lakh passengers used to travel in our buses daily. Now it varies from 11 to 12 lakh passengers a day, for which 1,500 buses would be more than enough. But to maintain social distancing, we are operating 2,700 buses a day to serve the public,” the official said, adding that such overcrowding is reported only along the EMU routes. 

“In the absence of local trains, the buses are getting overcrowded. With the State government officials are allowed to travel in the trains run for essential services, we hope the crowd will gradually come down in the coming days,” the official noted.