MTC: no longer prime mover of people

Public transport utility has been dealt a body blow by the changing dynamics of market conditions

The past one-and-a-half years have redefined many aspects of life, thanks to the pandemic. The changes have been more pronounced in the public transport sector. The restriction on commutes and lack of access to public transport has indeed changed the way people use public transport. Or, has it? The people of Chennai have traditionally relied on the Metropolitan Transport Corporation Chennai (MTC) for its superb network and last mile connectivity. The MTC, along with the suburban train services in the city, had been serving residents with affordable public transport over the years. While the people shunned taxis for their exorbitant fare, commuters stayed away from autorickshaws whose drivers had become notorious for demanding fancy fares. This changed with the advent of taxi aggregators and the MTC increasing bus fares.