Trichy’s Bus Fleet Shortfall Amid Traffic Woes

Subhashree from Ponmalai Patti works at a computer services company near Trichy’s Central Bus Stand, a crucial hub connecting surrounding areas. She is fortunate to live and work close to the bus stop, minimising her commute on foot. Yet, the state of public transportation in her city is a source of constant frustration. She often faces long wait times after 5:30pm, sometimes of an hour or more, despite both government and private bus services operating in the city.

In contrast, Vijay, a 21-year-old student from Thiruverumbur, has a different experience. His father drops him off daily, eliminating his need to walk to a bus stop. Buses on his route are frequent, running every 10 minutes. He generally expressed satisfaction with public transport, though he notes traffic congestion at a particular spot and overcrowding after 6pm, which he attributes to the office rush.

The duo’s experiences highlight the public transportation challenges in Tiruchirappalli or Trichy, the fourth-largest city in Tamil Nadu. According to the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), the city’s bus fleet comprises 587 buses, including 147 private and 440 government city buses. The latter are managed by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Ltd (TNSTC), a government-owned public transport bus operator. “According to the urban fleet specification of 50 buses per 100,000 population, the city’s bus fleet is deficient by 145 buses,” stated the Net-Zero Climate Resilient City Action Plan.

“We have private buses and they often take more passengers than the desired limit. Overall, Trichy does not have adequate buses,” Shyam Sundar, member, Trichy Intra-City Development Endeavours, told Down To Earth (DTE).

He emphasised a particular lack of buses connecting peripheral regions to the city, citing the absence of routes to places like Kajamalai, where Bharathidasan University is located, and infrequent buses from Thuvakudi to the Central Bus Stand.

Further, by 2027, 22 government and seven private fleet vehicles need replacement, and an additional 108 government buses will be required, according to CMP.

Similar to Chennai, Trichy residents favour private vehicles. Two-wheelers account for 41 per cent of total trips, followed by public transport (22 per cent), cars (15 per cent) and walking (11 per cent), according to CMP data. Annual two-wheeler registrations are the highest, with 15,000-18,000 occurring yearly, showed Trichy’s 2021 action plan for air pollution. 

Vehicle share in Trichy

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