Madras HC seeks route map of Pvt buses allowed to ply within Chennai
The AG also submitted that the State has marked Tambaram, Porur, and Surapet as pickup and drop points for the private buses.
Madras High Court; Pickup spots before Kilambakkam
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government submitted that Porur, Tambaram, and Surapet have allotted for the private bus operators to pick up and drop off the passengers, noting that the Madras High Court(MHC) directed the State to submit a map describing the route where the buses are allowed to ply between Koyambedu - Kilambakkam.
Private bus operators YBM travels and Vetri travels moved the MHC challenging the order issued by the Transport Commissioner restraining the entry of the private buses into city limits beyond Kilambakkam bus terminus.
The case was listed before Justice RN Manjula.
The Advocate General (AG) PS Raman appeared for the State submitted the status report in compliance with the court’s order. The AG also submitted that the State has marked Tambaram, Porur, and Surapet as pickup and drop points for the private buses. Further, the AG also said that the private buses are allowed only to drop the passengers at Perungalathur. The State has implemented all the directions given by the court for the benefit of the passengers, AG submitted. Separate space for the passengers to keep luggage was also arranged in the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses, submitted the AG. 1,100 MTC buses were purchased with disabled-friendly, he added.
Senior counsel Vijay Narayan appeared for the petitioner submitted that it is unfortunate that the State has closed its mind to the demands of the private bus operators. There are no pickup and drop points allotted for the private buses within the city limit, the counsel said. The status report states that no private buses are allowed to enter into the city limit with passengers, whereas all the private bus garages are within the city limit near the Koyambedu bus terminus.
Countering this, the AG submitted that the private bus operators were asking for pickup points at Parrys, Central railway station, Airport, and Perungalathur, which cannot be allowed considering the traffic congestion.
The judge observed that the private bus operators should be greedy in deciding pickup and dropping points. If it is allowed, the very purpose of creating the new bus terminus at Kilambakkam will be defeated, the judge observed.
The additional advocate general (AAG) J Ravindran appeared for the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) submitted that whatever facilities extended to the private bus operators should also be extended to the SETC.
After the submission, the judge directed the State to submit the map describing the route of the private buses allowed to ply between Koyembedu to Kilambakkam with marked pickup and dropping points. The judge also directed to submit the alternate route for the private buses and posted the matter to February 9, for further submission.