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Review compilation: Travelling in a TNSTC & SETC for 14-days

10th January 2023, 07:12 by Rahul Nagaraj

In all, to speak of TNSTC / SETC completely, the overall maintenance is indeed going down, and it is deplorable to watch the fleet with one or no hanging mirror, and a worn-out appearance to the fleet.

BHPian RRA_Blogger recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Prologue:

This is essentially a review compilation of my travel with TNSTC and SETC during a short 14-day stay in India (on account of Christmas vacation).

So here they come, one by one:

Travel-1: A travel review between Chennai CMBT and Puducherry.

DOJ- 24/12/2022.

Route: 803 AC Chennai <> Puducherry; 841 AC Puducherry <> Coimbatore (Via: Vizhuppuram).

Fare: ₹245/- per person.

Timelines:

15.05 - CMBT.

15.45 - Guindy IE.

16.15 - Thiruvanmiyur.

16.30 - Neelangarai.

17.35 - Kalpakkam bypass.

18.35 to 18.50 - Motel break at Marakkanam.

19.50 - Dropped at Puducherry.

Description:

After a long time, I was back in India for a short vacation, and on account of a family trip, I was bound to Puducherry. I was in thought of either picking an SETC or an SD of CRC in the first place, and this guy turned up. The first sight of the fleet from the outside was not pretty welcoming as such, mainly the reason being broken hanging mirrors, which were the main source of beauty for this fleet. Sans that, I concur that the external does not look so bad, but I wasn't satisfied with it.

The interiors were a step ahead (or call it behind). The maintenance of the interiors was worse, with many broken charging points and a broken AC vent, which was sealed with a cloth. The floor was a bit dusty as well (come on, this bus came from the depot!), and stains were seen here and there. Way to go SETC! Obviously, this was not expected from CNAs, because their maintenance used to be very good, but not now. A note about the current trend of the depot can be found at the end. What of course was satisfactory was that, miraculously, the pushback levers were still intact. The cooling of the AC was optimal too, being quite high at times (this would be the normal operating cycle of the AC inside the bus).

In terms of the crew, both the driver and the driver cum conductor were kaki uniformed and middle-aged and were mostly polite towards passengers. I did not note the crew to be significantly rude. The DCC in fact, politely told us that the display showed a fare of ₹180/-since the display program for the 841 UD was copied as such (This deserves slow claps as well). Well, passengers like us understand the fact, but a common passenger might argue in the first place with the crew. The patronage was pretty sultry at CMBT and gradually improved at Thiruvanmiyur. A senior passenger wanted to go to Kalpakkam, and the crew denied it, as they only loaded passengers towards the Marakkanam bypass and Puducherry bypass. Apparently, he was fine with any of the unruly conditions he was set upon (like the ticket being levied till Marakkanam), and so they boarded him. The DCC did lament a little that they wanted to go to Coimbatore and that he could've boarded another bus. But, what relieved me was that, once the stop approached, the crew dropped him with no regrets. Other than this point, the DCC was fine enough. I feel that this being an 803, it would've been more consistent if they did the loading like other 803s (Kalpakkam bypass, Marakkanam bypass). But the plight of the crew shouldn't be overlooked as well. What can maybe happen is, given the tracking app, passengers can forecast when the next SETC fleet is behind. Since the main schedule for this fleet was 841 (which the crew also concurred), the fleet was supposed to go to Pondicherry, and with a low turnover time, their next destination was Coimbatore. It was also sordid to see a few flies circulating inside the cabin.

Well, the most ironic part of the journey is here. With mostly a negative part on the maintenance of the fleet, and a positive part on the crew, the ride started at peak hours, making it difficult to cross Neelangarai in an hour, which was the standard. The driver put in all thrust, sharp braking and handling skills he could, but nothing sadly helped us.

His driving was pretty appreciable and it was obvious that the fleet was under his control. There were of course many sharp and tight brakes, and a few slightly harsh turns, but without this, it'd be pretty tough to reach Puducherry on time (as though it did now). The thrust to the fleet was good enough. In terms of speeds, the fleet peaked at 75-85 km/h whenever there existed a possibility, but sadly after Mamallapuram, most of the roads were being laid, all the way up to Koovathur. Well, the smoothness of the ECR was beautiful indeed until it lasted. However, the ride was indeed enjoyable.

But with all these factors, it was pretty difficult to arrive at Puducherry on time. The next reason was that the route between Marakkanam - Puducherry was clogged with a high crowd density. This contributed to another delay. In the end, the timing was pretty late and disappointing 4 hr 50 min, but I am pretty sure that the crew, of course, did their best, which sadly didn't aid them, because of the peak hour factor at both ends. If the crew did take any additional driving risk to reach earlier, it'd lead to scarier thought processes. All the peak hour factor stuff depends on when we start from where. In terms of the crew and the driving, it was surely safe and enjoyable. The comfort was of course another advantage of the fleet, as I was able to get a short sleep after Neelangarai. And there comes the maintenance, the biggest disappointment of the journey. Of course, SETC still stands out as an option, as the comfort of the ride is surely guaranteed, no matter how the maintenance is. The happiness of the ride ultimately depends on the driving and riding comfort, and sadly not maintenance.

In current scenarios, CNA has lost its focus on its prime routes for quite some time - 325 AC and 340 UD. Even though they indeed have regular pairs of the white fleets for the service, they of late are reported to deploy only been fleet. Once in a while is okay except when it is always once in a while. What CNA also lost, is the prospect of generating good revenue with its Mysuru schedule, given that it could've still operated the fleet. But they wouldn't hesitate to operate on Pabanasam <> Chennai, usually operated by TV2, with an AC seater cum sleeper fleet. Wishing this changes.

Travel-2: Short travel notes between Pondy - Cuddalore - Vadalur - Neyveli Arch.

DOJ- 25/12/2022.

After a good time at Puducherry, the next destination was Neyveli TS, for which the ultimate idea was to go via Cuddalore, Vadalur. Hence, I was even in the mood to board any private fleet, until this guy (TN 32 N 4159, CDL/CD1, working 152 UD Cuddalore <> Chennai) came, marking my lucky jackpot. My dad called me, and I boarded. Both the crew were middle-aged and kaki uniformed, and cordial towards passengers. They loaded only Cuddalore-bound passengers, and the fleet stopped at Murugambakkam and Thavalakuppam for pax loading. I didn't make a very comprehensive note about the maintenance of the fleet, but from what I could see, it wasn't too bad. The recliner in my seats worked quite decently. The engine was quite peppy and had a rather queer turbo whistle, which was enticing to hear. The video is also attached. The crew handled the fleet at safe speeds of 55-60 kmph with decent thrust and handling.

At Cuddalore awaited a long wait, and ultimately I had to land inside TN 32 N 4131, (CDL/VD1) a fleet I'd already tried between Cuddalore and Virudhachalam. It was pretty much the same in terms of maintenance (decent interior and exterior maintenance with clear audio), and in fact, even the crew (the same pair, cordial people) and the driving pattern were the same (good thrust and speeds of 70-75 km/h between Cuddalore and Vadalur, with good handling).

After alighting at Vadalur, almost immediately came TN 32 N 4662 of CDL/PRT (Probably previously and could be transferred now) working on 182 Kumbakonam - Chennai. I didn't make many observations again, as this was a very short ride. The crew were cordial, and the speed was maintained between 55-60 km/h. The interior maintenance looked quite okay to me.

Travel-3:

DOJ- 25/12/2022.

A travel review between Neyveli Arch and Chennai CMBT.

Route: 303 AB Kumbakonam <> Chennai,

Via : Sethiyathope X <> Vadalur <> Neyveli Arch <> Panruti 4 roads <> Melmaruvathur.

Fare: ₹425/- per person.

Timelines:

16.15 - Neyveli arch.

16.45 - Panruti 4 roads.

17.30 - Vikravandi toll.

17.40 to 18.00 - Motel break at Vikravandi.

19.00 - Melmaruvathur.

20.25 - Guduvancherry.

20.40 - Perungalathur.

21.00 - Porur toll (alighted).

Description:

After a wonderful time at Neyveli TS, I was all set to return back to Chennai and was focused on a comfortable ride. TN 32 N 4095 (CDL/NTS) was arriving, but I decided to ditch him and try something else. Almost immediately came behind this guy, and I realized it was my jackpot for a very comfortable ride, as it was an AC Seater cum Sleeper fleet, and upon interrogating the crew, they told me that only the sleeper berths were vacant. Hence, I boarded without hesitation.

Almost immediately, we got on the berths, and while I sat very easily, my father found it difficult to sit in the berths (apparently he wasn't used to that). The berth was decent enough, but unfortunately, even the chargers weren't provided with a power supply, let alone the reading lamps (though they are obsolete at least in our context). The partition screen rail was rattling heavily. But other than that, there wasn't much noise inside the cabin. In terms of maintenance, I could not make a very comprehensive note, but I observed that the fleet was pretty dusty and wasn't clean. In terms of the overall maintenance, I think it was okay. Coming to the exterior portion, sans the lack of hanging mirrors, it wasn't battered that badly.

The crew were usually polite and cordial, except when a few passengers either unaware of the price or didn't hear it properly, had argued with them. This was predominantly the mistake of passengers, as they should be knowing fares beforehand before boarding some fleet. Apart from that, they were very polite and kind, considering all drop requests and informing stages beforehand.

Until Vikravandi, the acceleration wasn't that high. The maximum speed was 65-70 km/h, and the crew handled the fleet in a cautious way, with many sharp brakes of course. Honking was a bit high too. One thing to be noted was that the turbofan was active throughout the ride, possibly indicating that the engine was heating up and needed constant cooling. After Vikravandi, the crew increased the speeds to 85 km/h, constantly maintaining an average of 70-75 km/h whenever possible. Another thing to note was that, at the top range, the crew engaged and disengaged the accelerator rapidly, probably to fetch more power from the engine. There was a traffic block for Madurantagam for about 15 min.

In the end, it was a decent, comfortable and satisfactory ride, except that the fleet could've been cleaner.

Travel-4: A travel review between Chennai CMBT and Virudhachalam.

DOJ- 27/12/2022.

Route: 509 RS Mathur <> Chennai (<> Jeyankondam),

Via : (Marakurichi <> Idayakurichi <> Kuvagam) <> Andimadam <> Virudhachalam <> Ulundurpet <> Vizhuppuram <> Tindivanam <> Melmaruvathur.

Fare: ₹200/- per person.

Timelines:

07.30 - Chennai CMBT.

08.00 - Porur toll.

08.20 - Perungalathur.

09.00 - Chengalpet toll.

09.30 - Madurantagam.

09.45 - Melmaruvathur.

09.55 to 10.00 - Athoor toll.

10.05 - Tindivanam.

10.45 to 11.00 - Motel break.

11.25 to 11.30 - Vizhuppuram.

12.05 - Ulundurpet toll.

12.10 to 12.15 - Ulundurpet.

12.25 - Mangalampet.

12.45 - Virudhachalam BS.

Description:

The next trip was towards my native, which I missed very much, mainly in terms of the roots I belong to, the wonderful food cooked by my grandmother and her affection showered towards me. I decided to arrive there for lunch, and so I decided to board a fleet that departs early. The guy towards RS Mathur was the first to depart, and after some fanning, I was ready to board the fleet. I was one of the first fewest passengers to be on board, and the patronage was pretty sultry at CMBT. There was one direct passenger bound for Marakurichi (located near RS Mathur).

The exteriors and the interiors both looked quite decent, though there indeed was much room for improvement, and the floor inside was a bit dusty. The seating comfort and leg space were fine for me, 3 hr into the journey and not beyond.

Both the crew were seniors, and the conductor was indeed quite cordial with passengers. I asked him if the fleet returns to RS Mathur daily as well, and he affirmed it. I was happy to hear it, for this was one lifeline schedule connecting remote villages in Ariyalur district with the capital, and this schedule erstwhile was operated by TNSTC Vizhuppuram, VPM/KBD depot (pre-2020), who operated this schedule surprisingly in a very poised way. Though the corporation was plagued with an unquenched thirst towards revenue and profit even back then, this was one route that did its job irrespective of the daily revenue. I had one trip between Chennai and Virudhachalam in 2019 with TN 32 N 4468 that was working on the route back then. It was a satisfactory ride in all terms, recollecting that the speeds were pretty decent, and though the fleet had deluxe stickers, they levied express fare (of course a sneaky move, now that VD1, VD2, TTG and DCTC JKM, ALR are forced to levy deluxe tariff with all stoppages), and to note, the driver mostly drove in the left side of the road, ensuring lane discipline and safety to other road users. Well, coming back to the present era, circa 2020 September, the permit has been handed over to DCTC JKM, who ever since hadn't been operating towards RS Mathur in the return stretch at all. Of late, I heard that they sometimes return to RS Mathur and sometimes directly towards their halt point. To be frank, though the direct patronage during return wasn't that great while TNSTC Vizhuppuram operated, it indeed had a few of its own takers. Also, the conductor explained the issues they face with regard to luggage, to the passenger bound for Marakurichi, who had sought an explanation. This was indeed commendable.

Coming to the ride, it was almost all good. The initial acceleration till the fleet reached the Porur toll was pretty sedate. In fact, exiting CMBT took an additional 5 min, because of the very sedate pace of the fleet. However, after the Porur toll, the fleet slowly started gaining speed, and maintained decent average speeds of 70-75 km/h, topping 80-85 km/h. However, in a short while, we were in for a twist - The crew stalled the bus all of a sudden, and apparently, the wheel alignment against the steering went faulty. The crew repaired it almost immediately, and it was pretty surprising that they indeed had wheel nut/bolt fasteners ready with them. After that, there wasn't any disturbance from the wheel alignment. It was pretty shocking that they brought the fleet in this condition (pertaining to wheel alignment).

Between Perungalathur and Chengalpet, the speed and handling were pretty judicious, maintained at a maximum of 50-60 km/h. There was a moderate deal of running traffic as well. After Chengalpet, speeds started increasing slowly. However, there indeed were a few harsh gear shifts throughout. This time, the fleet crossed 85 km/h, and peaked at a maximum of 90-95 km/h, whenever it was feasible. The average speeds were now at 75-80 km/h. Until Madurantagam, the handling went pretty fine. It was traditionally DCTC by its driving style - Though gears were shifted mostly at the correct RPM, there indeed was some lugging, and the acceleration wasn't too fast most of the time (however at times the acceleration was tremendous). The judicial handling until then was indeed laudable.

At Melmaruvathur as well, there was some crowd from the temple, causing slight road traffic again. After that started something unwelcome - The crew wasn't respecting road users behind and took swerves to overtake a slower-moving vehicle ahead of us, blocking them short, without any sort of indication. This would've happened at least twice or thrice, and this was indeed disappointing for the crew.

Well, now comes the next woe, the motels at Vikravandi. Well, all the closures and free restrooms were political eyewashes, as everything 'blossomed' (to them) back to normal, be it forced tip collection, or overpriced food, or paid restrooms with stinky maintenance. Of course, these restrooms cannot be avoided in case of an emergency, but travellers need to plan beforehand for their food and drinks.

It was also surprising that the fleet took the bypass route to enter and exit Vizhuppuram BS terminus instead of the city route, as it was apparent that the crew was now on a time-saving spree. Here started the next twist - The conductor queerly started calling out passengers to Jeyankondam instead of RS Mathur, which was the main element of shock here. I'm not sure if the crew would've convinced the passenger that he would board him on another fleet, but that was never an ethical and viable solution unless it was a real emergency for the crew. What also lies to be another possibility is, that they could've called out Jeyankondam passengers to board till Andimadam, and then change them there. However, I felt that the possibility for the latter to happen was far less and that only proved stronger in the end. They sought passengers to Madapattu, but no one boarded. So, in the end, the fleet skipped all three stops - Arasur, Madapattu and Kedilam.

The driving between Ulundurpet and Virudhachalam was slightly more rash and terrifying, in the regard that the fleet simply went in the opposite lane to overtake slower vehicles regardless of the vehicles opposite to us, who were stopped by the blare of our horn. This happened many times. Well, other road users do deserve the road too! N.B - Not all drivers of TNSTC/SETC do this, but the converse happens. Among many good drivers, a few people, who feel they want to dominate the road, do stuff like this, and the reputation of the entire working fraternity is tarnished. Once in a while, this would've been excused, but I was noting this more often. He tried to maintain a similar pace of speed even in the stretch between Ulundurpet - Virudhachalam.

In the end, the bus terminus parking in charge (Virudhachalam) also called out passengers towards Jeyankondam, almost totally confirming an adjustment between the crew and that passenger. Well, I personally feel that many lifeline services are disappearing due to such adjustments, in a repetitive fashion, and again, that's not acceptable unless it's a real emergency for the crew.

The journey started with stirring and triggering nostalgia about 4468 and looking at how the present fleet also nails the situation, and in terms of speed and timings between Chennai and Virudhachalam, both were nonetheless. Maintenance was also quite the same. However, that's not all that needs to be in service. There's a lot more, and one main thing is operating a service in a dedicated fashion. If the crew were operating in a more dedicated fashion towards Mathur daily, the direct patronage would be better than this. If I'm asked whether the present fleet nailed it as well as the previous fleet did, my answer would be a definite no (except in terms of the timing and maintenance, which isn't very much of a big deal for me in this context), unless they operated the schedule with some dedication. Well, lifeline schedules are for lifelines and not for revenue. Any veteran would wish that the previous conditions could've existed in support of the operation of this route, but what has happened has happened.

Coming to the practical difficulties of maintaining this schedule with the depot, for one, most crews tend to think they want to halt earlier, and so shirk going towards Jeyankondam. Also, one potential justification can be saying the patronage would be less, but that's not why a government bus operates. A government bus operates despite all odds in terms of collection/patronage, and sadly, while the officials want to churn more and more profit by prioritizing routes based on the collection, they also don't want to use it for the welfare of the corporation.

At least, in future, I sincerely wish DCTC JKM would change their attitude towards operating this schedule and make it a point to operate the fleet regularly upon return too, towards RS Mathur, on a daily basis. I was quite disappointed by the impatience of the driver (despite the potential of the fleet to touch decent speeds) after Melmaruvathur as well (though he did nail the situation well until then). A final say on this - If the schedule is operated properly, I'd be much happier than now.

A travel review between Virudhachalam and Chennai CMBT.

DOJ- 29/12/2022.

Actual route: 509 Sendhurai <> Chennai,

Via: Nagalkuzhi <> Marudhur <> Jeyankondam <> Virudhachalam <> Ulundurpet <> Vizhuppuram <> Tindivanam <> Melmaruvathur.

Spare duty: 509 Sendhurai <> Chennai,

Via: Unjini <> Irumbulikurichi <> Kumiliyam <> Udayarpalayam <> Jeyankondam <> Virudhachalam <> Ulundurpet <> Vizhuppuram <> Tindivanam <> Melmaruvathur.

Fare: ₹200/- per person.

Timelines:

10.45 - Virudhachalam.

11.05 - Mangalampet.

11.15 - Ulundurpet in.

11.25 - Ulundurpet out.

11.40 - Kedilam.

11.45 - Madapattu.

11.55 - Arasur.

12.10 - Vizhuppuram in.

12.15 - Vizhuppuram out.

12.35 - Vikravandi toll.

12.45 to 12.55 - Motel break.

13.15 - Tindivanam in.

13.25 - Tindivanam out.

13.40 - Athoor toll.

13.55 - Melmaruvathur.

15.10 - Perungalathur.

15.25 to 15.30 - Porur toll.

15.50 - Chennai CMBT.

Description:

After a memorable time at my native place, I decided to return back, and this time, to retain nostalgia, my prime choice was TN 45 N 4059, whose predecessor TN 45 N 3699, now with KTC, was usually preferred by my grandparents to come to Chennai from Virudhachalam every alternative time. So, after some fanning, I checked the time, and pretty surprisingly TN 45 N 4329 arrived instead of him. With a slight dilemma, I decided to board anyway, because I was too famished to wait anymore. So, I picked a seat with decent leg space.

To speak of the maintenance of 4329, to be honest, I did not like it the very first time, when it was quite new. There was quite some rattling, and the finish wasn't good, and more disappointingly, electrical connections were haywire inside the bus, causing flickering of lights. This was when the fleet was on its original schedule on Chennai - Sendurai via Nagalkuzhi. This was my second long travel with the fleet, and it was only worse with time. The interiors were not at all neat, and there was a lot of rattling from the glasses and the rear pneumatic actuator housing. The exteriors also were a little dusty, and what totally turned me off was the incomplete headlamp rework. However, shifting to the positives, the speakers of the fleet were still intact and working well, and the crew had inserted an audio system. The seats were not bad for a similar time frame as said for the previous trip.

Coming to the crew, both the driver and conductor were cordial and polite to the passengers. The driver was a middle-aged kaki uniformed person and the conductor was a senior crew. Notably, at Ulundurpet, the conductor called a person whose hands were fractured and made him sit behind, which was very appreciable. He also guaranteed seats for families, due to which I had to change my seat at Tindivanam. But I was quite happy to do it, except for the fact that the seat I had to shift to had poor leg space (seat over the tyre). The songs played were just awesome, mostly Ilayaraja's 80s and 90s playlist. Particularly, my favourite "Kuyile kuyile undhan geethangal ketkadho", and a newly heard song "Vizhigalil nooru adhisayam" enticed me very much, and this drew me into the enjoyment part of the journey. The patronage inside was decent. Sadly, the doors were not closed throughout the ride.

Coming to the driving, it was traditional DCTC yet again. This time, a lot of lugging and harsh gear shifts, but apart from that, the crew was perfect when it comes to driving focus. He was focused on his driving, and his handling was softer on other road users. There indeed was heavy honking at times, but when necessary. He maintained stretch-conscious speeds, and between Virudhachalam and Ulundurpet he maintained speeds between 65-75 km/h, and between Ulundurpet and Kedilam he peaked at 85 km/h. Kedilam - Arasur was more sedated at 55-60 km/h, and from Arasur he started maintaining an average of 70 km/h, topping 90 km/h. His handling in the city limits of Chennai alone went a bit fast-paced, but not that rash. It would have been better if not for those harsh gearshifts throughout the ride, but sans that it was a pleasant drive with pleasant songs played for his comfort.

The woe due to the motel was the same. Crews were helpless when interrogated by passengers, and this definitely calls for collective action by the crew and passengers to see if at a change can be brought. Until then, only prior planning for food helps. At the motel, I inquired the crew if this guy had come instead of 4059, and he affirmed that politely. When I alighted, he waved at me with a small smile.

On the whole, this nostalgic choice indeed proved to be right and will be in fact a good option to prefer during the daytime towards Chennai. However, I couldn't have a nap for beyond 30 min, because of a lack of proper seat support. Honestly, DCTC could allocate SDs for a few top-rated schedules like this, 4329's original schedule, and 4015's schedule, and still operate them with good patronage (as the fares for deluxe and SD are very much the same). It was a slight missing that I couldn't experience 4059, but I indeed experienced the slot. I thoroughly had a peaceful and enjoyable ride, thanks to the crew, and the songs played by them, except for the maintenance of the fleet, which needs a complete overhaul in my opinion. Also, DCTC JKM indeed has quite an inconsistent maintenance record. 4071 was really good, while 3731 was decent with more damage to the maintenance near the rear, 3915 was quite decent as well, and 4329 now, is like this. This must change as well.

Epilogue:

To be specific about trips 4 and 5, coming to lifeline schedules, when DCTC JKM can operate many schedules with consistency and dedication, it is indeed a disappointing fact that they fail to operate RS Mathur <> Chennai, an important lifeline schedule. This must be improved. In fact, DCTC could consider an expansion in terms of connectivity in the Ariyalur and Perambalur districts, though their overall connectivity is already decent. Operating lifeline schedules like RS Mathur <> Chennai properly would aid in the same.

In all, to speak of TNSTC / SETC completely, the overall maintenance is indeed going down, and it is deplorable to watch the fleet with one or no hanging mirror, and a worn-out appearance to the fleet. Only a change in the mindset of the government can help, when most of the crew and in fact a few officials are genuinely ready to serve people. Bringing new technology like tracing and tracking is indeed welcome, but that can only be an augment for those fleet that already offers good amenities, but even basic maintenance is lagging here.

P.S - Legends of the abbreviations I've used in the post:

TPTC - Thanthai Periyar Transport Corporation, currently TNSTC Vizhuppuram division, Cuddalore and Vizhuppuram regions.
DCTC - Dheeran Chinnamalai Transport Corporation, currently TNSTC Kumbakonam division, Trichy and Karur regions.
KTC - Kattabomman Transport Corporation, currently TNSTC Tirunelveli division, Tirunelveli (and Thoothukudi) region.
CRC - Chozhan Roadways Corporation, currently TNSTC Kumbakonam division, Kumbakonam and Nagapattinam regions.
JKM - Jeyankondam depot.
KBD - Koyambedu depot.
CNA - Chennai Anna Nagar depot.
CD1 - Cuddalore-1 depot.
VD1 - Virudhachalam-1 depot.
PRT - Panruti depot.
CDL - Cuddalore region.
TRY - Trichy region.
KKM / KUM - Kumbakonam depot.

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