MTC will soon introducing LSS

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation will soon be introducing LSS (limited stop service) and express services along the extended 50-km routes introduced recently. It has so far been operating only deluxe buses on the routes with fares twice as much as LSS.The State Government has recently issued an order extending the number of stages for its services from 23 to 28, to facilitate the introduction of services. A stage covers approximately two km.

Senior officials said the Transport Corporation had received overwhelming response to extending the coverage of its services from a 40-km radius to 50-km. It had introduced 39 new routes, covering areas including Mahabalipuram and Sriperumbudur, and was plying 85 buses.However, all the services were deluxe, with a minimum fare of Rs.5 and a maximum ticket of Rs.15.

MTC managing director R. Balasubramanian said they were flooded with requests for introducing LSS and express services on the new routes.Also starting June 1, the Corporation will start issuing applications for free bus passes for students of government-recognised schools. The schools falling in the new areas had asked for MTC to ply the ordinary services or allow their students to board the deluxe buses with the government passes.

With most schools slated to reopen after the summer vacations, the first week of June, the MTC is expected to make some interim arrangements and extend some of their regular services to reach to the new areas.It is planning to add another 85 new buses — as LSS and express services — to the 39 routes in the next two months.