Commuters seek more bus services to Velachery station

Only two buses operate up to the entrance of the station on the Velachery side. But, the frequency of these services is low, and they are often suspended without prior notice.
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ

:

Commuters from both Velachery and Madipakkam are facing significant challenges in accessing the Velachery railway station. With inadequate number of direct bus services to the station, passengers are forced to walk long distances or rely on personal vehicles.

While several buses operate on the Velachery-Tambaram High Road, their stops — either at Kaiveli junction on the south or at the end of the flyover in the north — are far from the railway station, offering little convenience to passengers.

Only two buses operate up to the entrance of the station on the Velachery side: D70X and a mini-bus, S12. But, the frequency of these services is low, and they are often suspended without prior notice, particularly during inclement weather. The mini-bus does not operate up to the Velachery bus stand, a key junction. Instead, it travels through interior routes towards the Alandur Metro, bypassing essential links.

At night, commuters new to town are frequently seen asking for directions to the nearest bus stop. With no nearby bus facility, they are often left with no option but to walk to the Velachery-Tambaram High Road or hire an auto or taxi, adding to their travel cost and time.

M. Priyadharshini, a working woman from MGR Nagar in Velachery, shared her concern: “Reaching the railway station is difficult due to the lack of bus services. I have to rely on my husband or other family members to drop me at the station and pick me up after work.”

She added that many working women use this station to commute to office areas such as Mylapore, Chepauk, and the Secretariat.

“Due to insufficient public transport, we are forced to depend on others or ride two-wheelers, which is not always safe,” she said.

On the Madipakkam side, the situation is no better. With no regular bus service to the station and very few buses from the Kilkattalai Main Road stopping sporadically, most commuters are forced to walk for more than half a kilometre from the Kaiveli junction.

K. Ramachandran, a resident of Pallikaranai, said: “I have to take a bus to Kaiveli signal and then walk the rest of the way. I often end up using my two-wheeler and paying ₹15 for parking on an open lot, which has no roof to protect the vehicles from the sun.”

A. Raghavan from Nanganallur pointed out: “Velachery railway station is conveniently located for residents of Nanganallur, Madipakkam, and Adambakkam, yet we have to use private transport to travel the last mile. Ironically, we have buses going to the St. Thomas Mount railway station, but not to Velachery. Taking an autorickshaw or taxi costs around ₹150. With ongoing metro construction in areas like Mylapore, the MRTS line offers direct connectivity to places such as Adyar and Mylapore, yet lacks proper bus integration.”

Surprisingly, many commuters this correspondent spoke to were unaware of the bus facilities, though limited, available on the station premises, highlighting a gap in awareness and poor service promotion.

A senior official of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation said, “We will send our regional officer to conduct a survey. Based on the findings, necessary steps will be taken to improve bus services.”