Madras Nalla Madras

Last week end I had been to Chennai and Trichy. I reached Chennai on Friday morning, left to Trichy in the evening and came back to Chennai on Monday. Left Chennai to Hyderabad on Monday evening. This was just to give what a whirlwind trip it was

I reached Chennai Central station around 6 30 AM on Friday. It was drizzling slightly. Myself and my wife came out of the station and wanted to take a prepaid auto to Tiruvanmiyur. As I came out of the station, I saw a bus with a digital board on the side reading “Tiruvanmiyur”. Saw it from a distance and asked why not we take the bus instead of an Auto.. She agreed and we just quickly went and got on to the bus.

I was pleasantly surprised. It was one of those “Sogusu Perunthu” . It was a MTC bus . It was an air conditioned bus. The seats were spaced widely with space inbetween for luggage . They waited for about 10 minutes to get the bus full. People got on to the bus till the seats were full. No body was standing. Everybody was seated.The bus was so comfortable. The bus started and the conductor started issuing tickets. I paid rs 25/- for a ticket from Chennai Central to Tiruvanmiyur. The conductor issued the ticket using a hand held..!!!!!!

Yes.. every bit of this was so very surprising (ofcourse pleasantly). It was a great experience. I know everyone in Chennai must be wondering – so what – this has been there for long. Yes. This definitely shows how much I am out of sync with Chennai and the developments. This makes me yearn more..!!!!!!

This was the positive development about Chennai. Another experience which definitely needs mention is the famous “Chennai Auto”.

As I was leaving to Trichy I wanted to take an auto from Tiruvanmiyur to Egmore station. I came near the Triruvanmiyur RTO and looked for an auto. He asked for Rs 150. Well – I tried to negotiate but dint succeed. So yielded for Rs 150 and went to Egmore. On my return I came by a bus from Trichy to Chennai and got down at Guindy Kathiparai junction. Looked for an auto to go to Tiruvanmiyur. I asked 6 autos and consistently everyone asked for Rs 150/ from Guindy to Tiruvanmiyur. I was fed up and walked opposite to Le Meridien and looked for an auto. After a few negotiations, I managed to get one for Rs 120/-.

The same day I wanted to go to TNagar (ofcourse knowing all the crowd) for some work. I had to pay Rs 150/ for the auto..!!!! The return also cost me Rs 150. Again in the evening an auto to Central station cost me Rs 150.

I really don’t know. Across the city the auto drivers seemed to standardised on Rs 150 for a little long distance. I don’t know how much a metered auto would cost (if such a thing exists). But the Rs 150 seemed very high if not exorbitant. !!! I couldn’t digest the Rs 150 auto syndrome across the city and came back to Hyd. I had to pay Rs 150 from the Secundarabad railway station to home..!!! //sigh//