புதுச்சேரி – கோயம்புத்தூர் பயண விமர்சனம் ; Puducherry to Coimbatore Trip Review

புதுச்சேரி – கோயம்புத்தூர்  பயண விமர்சனம்
நாள்: 28 ஏப்ரல், 2013. நேரம்: இரவு 9:00.

இந்த பயணம், நான் என் 3 நாள் விடுமுறையை உதகையில் கொண்டாட, குடும்பத்தோடு சென்றேன். இது நான் ஆவலோடு எதிர்பார்த்து கொண்டிருந்த பயணம். நீண்ட நாட்களுக்கு பிறகு நான் தமிழ்நாடு அரசு விரைவு பேருந்தில் பயணம் சேயும் நாள். பயணத்தின் முந்தைய தினம், நான் இந்த வழித்தடத்தில் ஒரு புதிய 12 M பேருந்தை கண்டேன். அதே கனவோடு நான் ஒரு புதிய பேருந்தில் பயணம் செய்ய போகிறேன் என்று இருந்தேன். செரியாக இரவு 8:55 மணிக்கு, என் என்னை ஏமாற்றும் வகையில், நான் ஒரு பழைய 10.8 M பேருந்தை கண்டேன். என் கனவுகள் சிதைந்தன. அந்த பேருந்து, புதுசெர்யில்லிருந்து செரியாக இரவு 9:15 க்கு புறப்பட்டது.  விழுப்புரத்தில், 10 பயணிகளை ஏற்றிக்கொண்டு, இரவு 10:35 மணிக்கு புறப்பட்டது.

பேருந்தை பற்றி குறவேண்டும் என்றால்: இருக்கைகள் அனைத்தும் லேதேராக மாற்றப்பட்டனர். அதில், 10 வரிசைகளோடு, மொத்தம் 40 இருக்கைகள் இருந்தன. இதில், கண்ணியமான வெளிப்புற மற்றும் உட்புற பகுதிகள், ஒரு ஒழுக்கமான சுற்றுப்புறத்தை உருவாக்கியது. உளுந்துர்பெட்டை மற்றும் சேலம் நகரத்தை  தவிர்த்து, புறவழிச்சாலையில் சென்றது, என்னக்கு மிகவும் ஆச்சரியமாக இருந்தது. பல அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் ஆம்னி பேருந்துகள் இதை முந்தி சென்றனர்.

நான் நன்கு வசதியாக உறங்க வேண்டும் என்றே, இருக்கை என் இரண்டில் முன்பதிவு செய்தேன். அனால், எதிரில் வரும் வாகனங்களின் ஒழி விளக்கு என் தூக்கத்தை பாதித்தது. உளுந்துர்பெட்டை சேலம் தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை பணிகள் முழுவதும் முடிந்தது போல இருக்கிறது. ஆங்காங்கே, புறவழிச்சாலைகள் இருவழிப்பாதை ஆகவும் மற்ற இடங்களில் 4 வழி சாலைகள், மிகவும் கண்கவரும் காட்சியாக இருந்தது.

கள்ளகுறிச்சியில் ஆண்டவர் ரைஸ் மில்லை கடர்ந்து அதிகாலை, 12:30 மணிக்கு, உணவு இடைவேளைக்கு நின்றது. ஒரே ஓட்டுனர், இடைவேளை இல்லாமல் இரவு முழுவதும் கண்முழித்து ஒட்டினர்.  சேலம் நகரை கடர்ந்தும், பேருந்தில் நன்கு வேகம் காணப்பட்டது.    அந்த பேருந்து ஈரோடு மற்றும் திருப்புரிக்கு முன்பதிவு செய்த பயணிகளை இறக்கிவிடுவதற்கு அந்த பெருந்துநிலயங்களுக்கு உள்ளே சென்றது. அதை தவிர, முழுவதும் புற வழிச்சாலையில் தான் சென்றது. நான், நன்கு உறங்கிகொண்டிருந்ததால், ஈரோடு மற்றும் திருப்பூர் நகரங்களை கடந்த நேரம் செரியாக தெரியவில்லை. அனால், செரியாக காலை 4 மணிக்கு, அந்த பேருந்து, அவினாசி கோவை 6 வழி சாலையில் சென்றுகொண்டிருததை கவனித்தேன்.

அப்போதுதான், KPNஐ சேர்ந்த ஒரு வோல்வோ பேருந்து ஓட்டுனர், நான் வந்த அரசு விரைவுபெருந்து மற்றும் KSRTCயின் படுக்கை வசதி கொண்ட பேருந்தை மிகவும் சோதித்தார். அந்த KPN வோல்வோ பேருந்து, அவ்வபோது  வேகத்தை குடுவதும், அவ்வபோது வேகத்தை குறைப்பதும், தருமாரக ஒட்டிகொண்டிருந்தர். அந்த ஓட்டுனர், மது அறிந்துவிட்டு ஓட்டுவது போல இருந்தது. ஒரு கட்டத்தில், KPN மற்றும் KSRTC பேருந்துகள் ஒருவருடன் ஒருவர் இடித்துகொள்வது போல் சென்றனர். புத்திசாலிதனமாக ஒட்டிய KSRTC பேருந்து ஓட்டுனர், ஒரு பெரிய விபத்தை தவிர்த்தார். பின்னர், மின்னல் வேகத்தில் அந்த வோல்வோ பேருந்து பறந்தது. 

இறுதியில், செரியாக காலை 5:15 மணிக்கு கோவை காந்திபுரம் பெருந்துநிலயத்தை சென்றடைந்தது. சுமார் 390 கீமீ துரத்தை 8 மணி நேரத்தில், ஒரு 30 நிமிட உணவு இடைவேளை, சராசரியாக 53 கீமீ வேகம்; நான் எதிர்பார்த்ததை விட சிறந்து காணப்பட்டது. இதே இடத்தில, ஒரு புதிய பேருந்து இருந்தால், இந்த துரத்தை மிக எழிதாக சென்றடைந்து இருக்கலாம். இது போல புதுபிக்கப்பட்ட பழைய பேருந்துகள், 300 +- 50 கீமீ இரவு பயண வழித்தடங்களில் ஓடினால் மிகவும் பொருத்தமாக இருக்கும்.

Puducherry to Coimbatore Trip Review

Date: 28^th April, 2013.  Time: 9:00 PM.

I had gone to Ooty for a 3 day vacation with my family.  This trip was pre-planned one and I had booked seats in this bus a month ago. I was eagerly looking forward for this trip as this was one of my first overnight journey in SETC, after almost 4 months. The day previous to this trip, I saw a new 12 M UD in the same route. Also, as the reservation site showed up 40 seats, I was confident that it would be a new 12 M UD. But, to much of my surprise, I found an old 10.8 M UD.  The bus was fully booked and there were about 10 passengers, who were to board at Villupuram. He started exactly by 9:15 PM from Puducherry and by 10:40 from Villupuram.

To tell about the bus: it had leather seats ( so no bedbug problems at all ) and the hanging bulbs were replaced with tubelights. Also, the engine was going smoothly without making any rough noise; overall, making a plesant surrounding for a short overnight journey. The speed of the bus was not as much as expected, as he averaged only around 40 to 50 kmph upto Villupuram.

I had intetionally booked seat no 2, in the front row, as it would be more spacious and i could sit more comfortably.  Adding to the plesant experience inside the bus, the Ulunderpet Salem road was looking brand new and it seems that the road works are fully completed.  Apart from small stretches, where the road is 2-lane, it is completely 4 lane. 

He stopped for a break at 12:30 PM near Kallakurichi, 5 mins after he crossed Andavar Rice Mill. It lasted for around half-an-hour and the same driver drove all the way up to Coimbatore (Need to appreciate him for this effort).  He by-passed Ulunderpet and Salem and the speed of the bus increased to a small extent, after he crossed Salem.  Still, many new 12 M UDs of SETC and Private omni buses eased past us. He went inside Erode and Tiruppur to drop-off the passengers, who booked for these places. I couldn’t remember the time when he crossed these places as I was asleep, but I found the bus going in Avinashi – Kovai 6-lane road by 4 AM in the morning.

It was now, when a KPN Volvo bus was threatening our bus along with a KSRTC Corona Sleeper Bus. The driver of the KPN Volvo ( AP registered bus ) seems to have drunk and must be driving half-asleep, as the speed with which he drove the bus looked to be a Sine Curve – uneven speed; Constantly increasing and decreasing. At a point, both the KPN and KSRTC buses were about to collide along the centre median. But, the KSRTC bus driver applied breaks at the right time to avoid a major mishap.  Soon the KPN Volvo disappeared from our site.

It was exactly 5:15 AM, when we were dropped at Gandhipuram  SETC bus stand at Coimbatore. A roughly 390 km journey, covered in 8 hrs with a half-an-hour break, at an average speed of 53 kmph; not bad for what I had expected from an old bus. I am sure, the travel time would have reduced to a greater extent, if there was a new 12 M UD in its place. I think that these old UDs are apt for an overnight journey of 300 +- 50 kmph, as neither at the source, nor at the destination, a passenger feels that it is un-time, when he / she starts / reaches his place. 

Travel Experience with SETC's new Ultra Delux Bus

Welcome back again friends;  here I am sharing the experiences of my return journey from Kanyakumari to Puducherry by SETC. I had booked tickets before 1 month itself, as a part of my plans to visit my NativeTemple. 

The scheduled departure of the Kanyakumari – Puducherry UD was changed from 4:00 PM to 2:45 PM and the route was changed via Neyveli instead of Villupuram, in the upward direction, as the return journey to Puducherry was too dull and the collection was too low most of the times.

We had a nice day’s time to enjoy at Kanyakumari and the room we booked was very close to the bus stand. So, we started from the room by just 2 PM and went and had our lunch inside Hotel Seasun, inside the Kanyakumari Bus Stand. 

I knew that we will be boarding the GS Coach built bus, TN-01-N-9905. To our shock and surprise, we found from one of the SETC Conductors that our bus had breakdown during the downward journey to Kanyakumari at Gangaikondan. We got info from SETC Counter that the bus is waiting at Tirunelveli bus stand and we will be dropped at Tirunelveli by another bus. We were a total of 10 passengers; waiting to board the Puducherry bound SETC at Kanyakumari. We were dropped at Tirunelveli by the 3 PM Kanyakumari Vellore SETC bus ( TN-01-AN-0074).  He reached Tirunelveli New bus stand sharp by 5:20 PM and the Puducherry bus immediately started from there, with 24 passengers on board, with 2 passengers bound for Neyveli. 

He was maintaining a average speed of 70 kmph, with a top speed of 74 kmph, and while we crossed Kovilpatti, NANJIL ( TN-01-AN-0535 ) went past us and our bus stopped at HOTEL ARYAs near Sattur by 7 PM. I had a hygienic and satisfactory breakfast there.  It was by-far the best of the Roadside Motels present  along the entire Kanyakumari – Chennai stretch.  There, the drivers got exchanged and we started by 7:20 PM. Immediately, after starting, we experienced some problems with the bus accelerating and with the clutch of the bus. He was somehow able to cross Thirumangalam and immediately when he entered the Madurai by-pass, the bus started giving the same problem, which was experienced at Gangaikondan; the second driver-cum-conductor was new to driving and he was the main reason for the problem to occur the second time. The driver was informed that, they need to be careful while driving the bus for such a long distance, by the Tirunelveli depot authorities. 

The conductor had a plan to drop us atleast till Madurai bus stand, so that he can help the passengers catch another bus. But it was already too late, as Schencottah – Puducherry, Thiruvananthapuram  - Puducherry and Madurai – Puducherry went already. The time was 9:30 PM and the bus was struggling to cross the last railway under-bridge in the Madurai By-pass and it stopped in the midway.  Then the conductor reacted immediately by stopping the Virudhinagar  - Chennai SETC bus, so that we can reach Madurai bus stand at the earliest. It was a KMS built bus and it was looking very cool and neatly maintained.  The driver of our bus asked the Virudhunagar bound bus to stop at the end of the by-pass, so that he can stop the Tiruchendur – Puducherry bus. But, it was already full and the 2 Neyveli bound passengers were asked to board it, as it was the last option for them. 

The remaining 20 Puducherry bound passengers, were guided by Kanyakumari Puducherry conductor to the SETC office at MIBT. There, an official told that he will arrange for a bus, but only uptoVillupuram, as there would be permit problems in operating buses to Puducherry. There was heavy crowd at MIBT, bound to Chennai, such that, all the buses entering MIBGT empty from Southern districts, went outside filled.  Even, the SETC AC bus from Tuticorn, went out from SETC filled. 

It was about 45 mins, we were waiting for the Special bus, that would be operated upto Chennai, for us, with the remaining seats to be filled with passengers bound to Chennai, while the Puducherry bound passengers to be dropped at Villupuarm. Meanwhile, an North Indian couple, who faced the same problem while coming to Puducherry in the same bus the previous day, was demanding the ticket cost from Villupuram to Puducherry. Till then, our bus conductor was temporarily arranging for seats at different buses that entered MIBT, trying to send people in batches till Villupuram. 

Luckily, we got seat in the Kanyakumari – Thiruvottiyur SETC, 282 UD ( TN-01-AN-0464 ). It started from MIBT by 11:15 PM. He was doing good in terms of speed ( aveaging about 75 kmph, with a top speed of 79 kmph ), though many other new SETC UDs and Private buses went past us. He went inside Tiruchirapalli and drop the passengers  and fill diesel. He was given only 50 liters of diesel, apart from the diesel that he filled in at Kanyakumari, though he was arguing for 70 liters of Diesel, so as to enable him go uptoThiruvottiyur. Here, the drivers got exchanged and the conductor started driving. Both of them were new recruits. As per the info from a co-passenger, the bus had luckily escaped from an accident, with light scratches ( when the conductor was driving ). I was completely awake from Tiruchirappalli and saw that the person driving didn’t knew to drive properly, and again escaped 2 minor collisions with other buses. He was comparatively slow and many new SETC UDs and Private buses overtook this bus. 

Finally, we were dropped at Villupuram by 4:45 AM and from there, took a TNSTC VPM bound to Puducherry, to reach my home at 6 AM. It was one of my rare bitter experiences with SETC. 

Though this journey was bitter, I need to appreciate SETC in the following things: 

1.     For stopping at a very good and decent hotel , instead of stopping at M-Hotel along with many other SETCs.
2.    The crew of Puducherry Kanyakumari bus to be with the passengers till the end and helping the passengers arrange seat. 
3.    The Depot / Branch Level Management to take decision immediately,  by arranging special buses to help us reach Villupuram.
4. The crew of Kanyakumari  -Thiruvottiyur bus for stopping the bus in the mid-way at a Motel for tea on request from two old passengers. 
5.  

FRIENDS, THANKS FOR PATIENTLY READING THE ENTIRE LONG POST. SORRY FOR POSTING SUCH A LONG POST, AS I WANTED TO DESCRIBE EACH AND EVERY INCIDENT I FOUND AND EXPERIENCED.

My Experience with PRTC's Ultra Delux Bus

Warm welcome friends; I bring out my travel experience to my Native Temple along with my parents in Tirunelveli District, from my Native Place, Puducherry. 

I had booked up and down tickets for the journey 1 month well in advance, with the downward journey in PRTC on 24^th of January and returning back in SETC on 26^th of January.

The day finally arrived. It was 24^th of January and the clock was ticking past 6:15 PM.  The scheduled departure time was 6:25 PM and he arrived at 6:20 PM. All the 36 seats were fully occupied immediately and he left the bay by 6:30 PM.

He went non-stop till Neyveli and reached there by 8:20 PM, where we found the Puducherry – Tiruchendur UD ( old 10.8 M UD ) halting for dinner. The passengers bound for Neyveli got down and passengers who had reserved for Tirunelveli and Nagercoil. Within 5 minutes, the bus started from Neyveli and he went to Vridachalam for Dinner break, where we overtook the 5 PM Puducherry – Kumily PRTC on the way. He reached Vridachalam at 9:30 PM and halted there for 20 minutes.  

Then he started moving and reached the 4 lane NH 45 near Veppur. He was just going at an average speed of 70 kmph initially and the Puducherry –Tiruchendur UD, which we crossed, overtook us along with 3 more UDs of SETC ( Chennai to Kottarakara, Chennai to Pattinamthitta and Chennai to Nagercoil : TN-74-N-1*59; transferred from TNSTC NGL Region to SETC ) and RathiMeena Travels and Paulo Travels.  After crossing the tollgate, he accelerated swiftly upto 78 kmph, averaging about 75 kmph, to overtake again the two private buses and the Chennai Pattinamthitta and Chennai Kottarakara and Puducherry Tiruchendur UDs. But, unfortunately the Chennai Nagercoil transferred UD eased past us and he was not able to catch it. After going past all the buses, he slowed down and immediately the 2 private buses eased past us along with another new SETC bound for Thiruvananthapuram. While on the way, I spotted the Kuttam – Chennai AnanthaParavai, going towards Chennai being overtaken by an old 10.8 M UD.  Then, he crossed Tiruchirapalli around 12:30 AM and stopped for break after Viralimalai by 1:30 AM.  One irritating thing till this part of the Journey was that he was playing two movies from the start of Journey till 1 PM, spoiling the entire passenger’s sleep.  Meanwhile, Chennai to Rajapalayam TNSTC MDU UD stopped beside our bus. I am still shocked and surprised to see the bus still with seat covers and with window screens. 

The part of the journey after this was too disappointing, as the driver was just going at the speed of 65 to 68 kmph, overtaken by many new SETC UDs and Private buses. He crossed Madurai after 2 AM and he stopped for another break at Hotel Aaryas near Sattur at morning 4 AM, where the drivers exchanged again. This was another irritating part of the journey, as I spotted no other bus stopping for 3 breaks in a journey. 

Finally, we got down at Vannarpettai( Tirunelveli ) at 5:15 AM,where almost the whole bus got empty. Meanwhile,  theChennai to Tirunelveli Pudhuvasantham H 180, eased past us to drop the passengers at Vannarpettai.

My Worst Travel Experience with an Omni bus

It was once again from Tirunelveli to Puducherry as usual as a yearly trip to my native place. This time it was planned urgently, so I could not get return tickets in my usual bus PRTC from Nagercoil to Puducherry, though I got seats for the onward journey. 

So, I decided to go for a UNIVERSAL TRAVELS bus from Thiruvananthapuram to Puducherry, via Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Tuticorn, Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Chidambaram, Cuddalore and then to Puducherry. Yes, he took the ECR route from Tuticorn to Nagapattinam via Ramanathapuram which was opened for traffic just few days before the travel. 

The bus was a 2 in 1 Sleeper and Semi-Sleeper. I opted for a Semi-Sleeper ticket. The timing, he is supposed to start from Tirunelveli was at 8 PM. So, I was waiting near the Junction Bus stand from 7:45 PM. I was waiting, waiting and waiting for around One and a half hours.  He came at 9:30. The first impression itself dashed my hopes of a happy trip in a Omni bus. The bus was a brand new bus registered at Karaikal, making its 2^nd trip I suppose. 

He started at 9:45 after all the passengers came and he left for Tuticorn. He reached there after an hour. He stopped there for break for half-an-hour. The seat was almost filled with passengers bound to Karaikal being most of them. Though I was half awake during the night, I remember he was going through some deep interior village roads, loading and unloading parcels in the mid-night. Though the ECR road from Ramanathapuram to Tuticorn was open for traffic few weeks before, he didn’t even travel 10% of the distance in that.  At last around morning 4 AM, he touched the ECR road. At that instant only I came to know that he was going via ECR to Karaikal. Till that moment, I was not even aware that he will be going to Karaikal. Also, a passenger who boarded the bus along with us asked whether it will go to Karaikal. I was wondering and I said no. Finally, he reached Karaikal at morning 6 AM, which was too slow for an Omni bus. This was one part of the sad story. 

The second part comes here:

He came to Chidambaram at around 8 AM, dropped the passengers and he left. During the mid of the travel, he was moving damn slow just like a bullock-cart. After around 30 minutes, I got irritated and enquired the driver. He said that someone left their handbag in the bus. So only he was moving very slow. Finally, the passenger came at 8:50 near Mutlur and took the handbag. Finally we came to Pondy at 10:45 AM. The bus, which was supposed to come at 7 AM in the morning to Puducherry, was almost 3 hours late. 

From, that moment I decided not to take Universal Travels any more in my life. After that, 2 years has passed by and it was only once, I travelled in am Omni bus, SHARMA to Coimbatore from Pondy. 

Even RATHI MEENA operates a 2 in 1, Sleeper cum Semi-Sleeper coach to Thiruvananthapuram. He takes the following route: Thiruvananthapuram – Tiruchirapalli, Tanjore, Kumbakonam, Mailaduthurai, Chidambaram, Cuddalore. He overtook the Universal bus just before we reached Chidambaram.