Photo Copied From Internet. Representative Image.
I have planned my leave for travelling to Native Place for my birthday and prayer meeting to be held at my native town of Kerala. My leaves were approved by reporting manager, i immediately booked the ticket to Coimbatore in AC SETC Bus as it is cheapest mode of transport available for common man. The AC charges in private bus are comparatively high even it hits 2000 mark during festive season. For my personal journey, my first preference is SETC and secondary in Private in case of morning travel. I looked in to the official website of TNSTC www.tnstc.in of booking, there are 2 buses allocated for AC one bus at 9 pm and another one 10pm.
I preferred to book the bus at 10 pm as the crowd in the city will be much lesser compared 7pm to 9pm as we will not be able to move in perungalathor shortly. The bus i preferred for 10 pm doesnt have boarding point in Perungalathor so it takes an alternative route to Coimbatore, 9 pm bus has a stopping at Perungalathoor.
I successfully booked the ticket and i got e-ticket as well to my inbox. I got ready from my home at Chennai to Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminal otherwise known as CMBT situated at Coimbatore. I thought of booking Ola Sedan as i am a Ola Select Member, i would get a discounted tariff of a mini to reach the destination. Later, my friend showed up at my home. I asked whether he could give me a drop at CMBT, he said happily “yes dude”. We started from my Home and my friend dropped me infront of CMBT entrance as private vehicles are not allowed inside.
I went into the platform and checked whether my bus is parked in the alternate bay as i have reached 2 hours earlier, i always have a habit to travel earlier to railway station, airport or bus. My bus was found in alternative bay so i came back to a stand still position at a passengers bay and later i got a seat in passengers bay. After waiting for few minutes, i got up and took my backpack went into a tour in CMBT terminal. CMBT is known for one of the largest bus terminal in the world.
AC bus services are a great hit with passengers there are numerous booking during weekend. After completing my tour, i came and check the bay the bus was still not there even the 9pm bus was not parked. Then panic started hitting me, whether services were cancelled for the day, so i enquired the officer responsible for Coimbatore sector AC service. He informed only bus is allocated for the day as the other bus is inducted into service due to water leakage inside the bus during the rainy season.
Thank God, the bus was not fully booked for 9pm schedule only 8 seats were booked and 16 seats were booked in 10 pm schedule. The bus parked in the bay, the conductor of the bus came and checked the reserved tickets. The reserved tickets were given first priority in the bus as the passengers have already reserved. The 9 pm bus passengers were give alternative seats, once the reserved passengers are in the seating remained are given for regular passengers without reservation.
The bus starting point is Chennai and ending point is Coimbatore, The bus will not have any break in between unless for a dinner break and tea break. The bus started to move from the bay at 10.10 pm much delayed by 10 minutes. Ticket examiner checked the ticket and informed to share the PNR no. and Identity Card. I provided happily to the ticket examiner and he said Thanks.
The bus started to move and i made some personal calls and went into a sleepy mode for few minutes before i reached Perungalathor. The bus boarded the passengers from Perungalathor and next stop is Coimbatore, the Manchester of India.
The bus stopped dinner break and i was in sound sleep so i went back to sleep mode. I woke up few kilometres from Coimbatore City went it reached the Airport. I thank the God for safely reaching me and fellow passengers at Coimbatore.