‘Chennai needs more low-floor buses’

A survey by students of The New College to study the impact of the State Government’s flagship scheme to provide free bus ride to women has received a thumbs-up, but with suggestions for improvement.

The seed grant research project on ‘Impact of the Magalir Vidiyal Payanam’ scheme on women’s mobility and empowerment in Tamil Nadu reached out to 300 women and 135 routes.

Twenty-five postgraduate and undergraduate students from the Department of Commerce fanned out to various locations in the city to take up this study, which was spread across three months. Women from various socio economic backgrounds were interviewed.

Recommendations include introduction of more low-floor buses on busy routes where there is good patronage by elderly and the differently-abled, increasing the frequency of buses on undeserved routes, ensuring regular servicing of buses, aligning schedules with peak travel hours, displaying real-time route and timing information inside buses and at bus stops, and construction of covered waiting areas with seating.

Introduced in 2021, the free bus travel scheme has helped reduce travel-related financial burdens, particularly for students, workers, and low-income families. For many, it has also supported access to education and employment.

The analysis of problems experienced while using the scheme shows that the most common difficulty faced by commuters is the limited number of buses in certain routes, reported by 116 out of 300 respondents, says the report. This was followed by issues related to poor bus condition (62 respondents) and overcrowding (60 respondents), reflecting concerns about comfort and the need for an expanded and well-maintained fleet. A considerable number of respondents (48) highlighted inconvenient timings, suggesting that current schedules may not align well with commuter needs, particularly during peak hours. Although relatively fewer respondents (14) raised safety concerns, the issue is still significant, as even a small proportion indicates the need for measures to ensure secure travel, especially for vulnerable groups.

J. Sulaiman, principal investigator for the project, says they have submitted the report to the Centre for Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation of the college. “We will next be submitting it to the government. Our findings say that people want the scheme to continue,” says the assistant professor and research supervisor, PG and Research Department of Commerce.