In an unexpected occurrence, a malfunctioning Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus saw its front door detach and fall onto a woman riding her scooter on Tuesday evening, resulting in injuries.
The incident unfolded around 8:30 pm on Jawaharlal Nehru Road near Thirumangalam. The bus, operating on route 70A from Koyambedu mofussil terminus to Avadi, was nearing Thirumangalam bus depot when the door unexpectedly gave way, striking a motorcyclist - a woman on a scooter - who was traveling alongside during rush hour. Fortunately, she sustained injuries, though she chose not to file a complaint against MTC.
Eyewitness K Senthil remarked that had the woman been in closer proximity to the bus when the door detached, the outcome could have been far more severe.
Scrutiny of documentation unveiled that the bus involved in the incident is nearly 14 years old and had received its fitness certificate just three months prior.
The incident has raised concerns about the accountability of the regional transport officer responsible for certifying the bus's fitness, with Senthil highlighting the apparent disregard for the safety of both road users and passengers.
This incident is the latest in a string of alarming events shedding light on the substandard condition of government-operated buses. Recently, a government bus conductor in Trichy suffered injuries after his seat detached from the floor while the bus was in motion.
These incidents have prompted the state transport department to initiate inspections of all government-operated buses.
Transport activist S Kamal stressed the urgent necessity of replacing old buses with newer models. Despite a glaring disparity between demand and supply, with only 50 new buses introduced in Chennai over the past three years against a recommended fleet size of 4,500, MTC's current fleet of 3,000 buses - half of which are in a state of disrepair - falls significantly short.
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