High operating costs, low ridership hit Metro's last-mile bus services
The feeder network runs 22 buses across 11 routes linked to just nine of the city's 44 metro stations across the blue and green lines. Some of the routes include S51 (Koyambedu metro to Nolambur Sakthi Nagar), S84 (Alandur metro to Porur Junction), S70K (Thirumangalam metro to Korattur Water Canal), and S56 (Thiruvottiyur to Manali), with roughly two services on each route.
Some services such as the busy S69 route (airport to Kundrathur) make three trips a day, while some make such as the S82 (Alandur to Madipakkam) make just one.
Fares start at 7.
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CMRL has asked MTC to add 20 more routes in view of the metro's Phase 2 expansion, but MTC officials say the service is far from financially viable.
"We spend around 16,000 per route per day for labour and establishment costs. But we earn less than half of that. This service is still on at CMRL's request and because it was a govt initiative," said MTC assistant manager (planning and development) P Senthil Kumar.
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He says that the losses might be partly compensated this year through a state govt gap fund.
While CMRL tops up earnings if they fall below 5,200, officials say it barely covers running costs. Commuters on the S98 route, which runs from Little Mount metro to the International Tech Park campus (ITPC) in Taramani, complain of delays of over 30 minutes. "I usually take the 5C (Broadway–Perumbakkam) from Taramani, which is well connected to other parts of the city like Thiruvanmiyur.
This route is also covered by the S98, but with lesser frequency," said a student from NIFT, Taramani, getting into S98.
Another commuter at Little Mount metro said the bus is not reliable. "It comes every half an hour, sometimes after an hour. During those times, I just book a Rapido," he said.
Former professor of urban engineering at Anna University K P Subramanian argues the service does not suit metro users' expectations. "Metro riders pay more and expect short waits. Thirty minutes is too long. The one-ticket app linking all transport modes, long in the works, would help more," he said.
CMRL was unavailable for comment.
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