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Route 17D at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Route Number | 17D (MTC Chennai) |
| From | Broadway (Pallavan Salai), Central Chennai |
| To | K.K. Nagar (Kalaignar Karunanithi Nagar) Bus Terminus |
| Route Corridor | Via Central, Egmore, Maternity Hospital, DPI, Sterling Road / Meteorological Dept, Veterinary Hospital, Trustpuram, Pudur High School, PTR Road / Kamaraj Road Junction, Muthumariamman Koil |
| Distance | Approximately 19.8 kilometres |
| Total Stops | 12 named stops |
| Journey Time | Approximately 45 to 55 minutes |
| Daily Trips from Broadway | Approximately 170 trips/day (every 5 min) |
| Daily Trips from K.K. Nagar | Approximately 170 trips/day (every 5 min) |
| First Bus from Broadway | 5:00 AM |
| Last Bus from Broadway | Approximately 10:00 PM |
| First Bus from K.K. Nagar | 5:00 AM |
| Last Bus from K.K. Nagar | Approximately 10:00 PM |
| Frequency | Every 5 minutes — one of Chennai’s most frequent routes |
| Operating Days | All 7 days including Sundays and public holidays |
| Bus Type | Ordinary service. No AC buses on this route |
| Starting Fare | Rs 6 (Ordinary minimum) |
| Why Route 17D matters | Direct Broadway to K.K. Nagar connection via Sterling Road and Kodambakkam High Road — linking North Chennai’s commercial hub to one of West Chennai’s largest residential districts in a single high-frequency ride |
All 12 Stops with Landmarks and Local Context
Route 17D connects Broadway — Chennai’s central bus terminus — to K.K. Nagar, one of the city’s largest planned residential townships, via the educational and medical belt of Egmore and Sterling Road.
| Zone 1: Broadway to Egmore (Stops 1 to 3) |
| Stop 1 Broadway (Pallavan Salai) | |
| What it is | Origin terminus at Chennai’s largest bus hub |
| Key landmarks | Broadway bus stand, RBI Parrys, High Court, Chennai Central RS (5-min walk) |
| Metro | Blue Line to Airport, Koyambedu, Washermenpet |
| Tip | Board at Broadway for a guaranteed seat — bus fills at Egmore and DPI |
| Stop 2 Central | |
| What it is | Chennai Central RS area stop — important rail interchange |
| Key landmarks | Chennai Central (Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Central RS), Park Metro Station, Park Town GPO |
| Rail | All mainline trains (Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, South India); Metro Blue Line |
| Stop 3 Egmore | |
| What it is | City centre medical and rail hub |
| Key landmarks | Chennai Egmore RS (trains to Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy), Government Stanley Medical College Hospital (major public hospital), Government Museum Chennai (est. 1851 — Chola bronzes, National Art Gallery) |
| Rail | Egmore RS: trains to all of south and west Tamil Nadu |
| Zone 2: Medical and Educational Belt (Stops 4 to 7) |
| Stop 4 Maternity Hospital | |
| What it is | Named after the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children in Egmore |
| Key landmarks | Kasturba Gandhi Maternity Hospital (KGH) — a major public maternity hospital, Egmore Children’s Hospital, approaching Purasaiwakkam |
| Stop 5 DPI (Directorate of Public Instruction) | |
| What it is | Government education administration landmark stop |
| Key landmarks | Directorate of Public Instruction (Tamil Nadu state school education authority), nearby government offices, Purasaiwakkam residential area |
| Note | DPI is a major alighting point for government education employees and teachers attending training or administrative work |
| Stop 6 Sterling Road / Meteorological Department | |
| What it is | Key junction on Sterling Road named after the India Meteorological Department office |
| Key landmarks | India Meteorological Department Chennai Regional Centre, Sterling Road residential and commercial zone, Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMC) approach |
| Medical | KMC is accessible from this stop — a key public hospital for this belt of the route |
| Stop 7 Veterinary Hospital | |
| What it is | Named after the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) Veterinary Hospital |
| Key landmarks | TANUVAS Veterinary Hospital, Kilpauk residential area, approaching Kodambakkam High Road |
| Note | TANUVAS is one of India’s premier veterinary universities. Its hospital complex serves as a teaching hospital and provides veterinary services to the public |
| Zone 3: West Chennai Residential Belt (Stops 8 to 12) |
| Stop 8 Trustpuram | |
| What it is | Residential area stop in the Kodambakkam–K.K. Nagar corridor |
| Key landmarks | Trustpuram residential colony, approaching Vadapalani and K.K. Nagar via Kodambakkam High Road |
| Stop 9 Pudur High School | |
| What it is | Educational institution stop in the K.K. Nagar approach zone |
| Key landmarks | Pudur High School, Pudur residential area, local commercial establishments |
| Note | Pudur is a dense residential locality that feeds K.K. Nagar and Ashok Nagar, with significant student ridership on Route 17D morning and afternoon |
| Stop 10 PTR Road / Kamaraj Road Junction | |
| What it is | Major road junction in the K.K. Nagar belt — PTR Road is named after politician P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan |
| Key landmarks | PTR Road junction, Kamaraj Road, Ashok Nagar approach, K.K. Nagar boundary, local market and commercial area |
| Stop 11 Muthumariamman Koil | |
| What it is | Named after the Muthumariamman Temple in K.K. Nagar — a popular local Amman temple |
| Key landmarks | Muthumariamman Temple (a frequented neighbourhood Amman temple), K.K. Nagar residential streets, approaching the bus terminus |
| Pilgrimage | The temple is a significant local pilgrimage site, especially on Tuesdays and Fridays |
| Stop 12 K.K. Nagar (Kalaignar Karunanithi Nagar) — Final Stop | |
| What it is | The western terminus of Route 17D — one of Chennai’s largest planned residential townships |
| About K.K. Nagar | K.K. Nagar (Kalaignar Karunanithi Nagar) was developed as a planned residential township by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board, named after former Chief Minister M. Karunanithi. It is a large, well-laid-out suburb with wide roads, parks, a market complex, schools, and government offices |
| Key landmarks | K.K. Nagar Bus Terminus, K.K. Nagar market, Anna Arch, Ashok Nagar boundary, CMBT (Koyambedu) proximity (approximately 3 km) |
| Connections | Multiple MTC routes from K.K. Nagar to Vadapalani, T. Nagar, Koyambedu, Guindy, and Porur. Ashok Nagar Metro Station on Chennai Metro Green Line is accessible by auto |
| Real estate | K.K. Nagar apartments at Rs 7,500 to Rs 11,000 per sq ft in 2026. Popular with government employees and West Chennai professionals |
Bus Fare Chart for Route 17D
Route 17D operates as an ordinary service. Minimum fare Rs 6. All fares include a cess of Rs 1.
| Stage | Ordinary (Rs) | Express (Rs) | Deluxe (Rs) | Night (Rs) |
| 1 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 10 |
| 2 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 12 |
| 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 14 |
| 4 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 16 |
| 5 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 18 |
| 6 | 11 | 16 | 22 | 20 |
| 7 | 12 | 17 | 24 | 22 |
| 8 | 13 | 19 | 26 | 24 |
| 9 | 14 | 20 | 28 | 26 |
| 10 | 15 | 22 | 30 | 28 |
| 11-12 (Full route) | 16 | 23 | 32 | 30 |
| Practical Fare Guide | Broadway to Egmore (approx. 3 km): Rs 6 to Rs 8 Broadway to Sterling Road / DPI (approx. 8 km): Rs 8 to Rs 11 Broadway to Trustpuram (approx. 14 km): Rs 10 to Rs 14 Broadway to K.K. Nagar (19.8 km, full route): Rs 12 to Rs 17 Monthly pass: Rs 2,000 unlimited MTC pass (from March 2025) covers Route 17D |
Who Uses Route 17D
K.K. Nagar and Ashok Nagar Residents
K.K. Nagar’s large planned residential population uses Route 17D as their primary direct link to Broadway, Central, and Egmore for rail connections, government offices, and central city services. The 5-minute frequency makes this one of the most reliable routes in West Chennai.
Government Employees — DPI, Secretariat Belt
The Directorate of Public Instruction, Meteorological Department, and other Egmore-area government offices generate significant ridership. Government staff and teachers use Route 17D from K.K. Nagar and Pudur for daily commutes to these offices.
Medical Patients — Egmore Hospitals
Patients from K.K. Nagar, Ashok Nagar, and the western residential belt use Route 17D to access Egmore hospitals — Stanley Medical College Hospital, KGH Maternity Hospital, and the Kilpauk Medical College group.
Rail Passengers via Broadway and Egmore
Residents of K.K. Nagar using Chennai Central and Egmore for mainline trains choose Route 17D for its frequency and directness — avoiding the need for intermediate transfers.
Timetable Overview
With 170 trips per day in each direction (every 5 minutes), Route 17D is among Chennai’s highest-frequency MTC routes. First bus 5:00 AM, last bus approximately 10:00 PM.
| Stop | First Bus | ~8:00 AM | ~1:00 PM | ~6:00 PM | Last Bus |
| Broadway | 5:00 AM | 8:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| Central | 5:04 AM | 8:04 AM | 1:04 PM | 6:04 PM | 10:04 PM |
| Egmore | 5:08 AM | 8:08 AM | 1:08 PM | 6:08 PM | 10:08 PM |
| Maternity Hospital | 5:11 AM | 8:11 AM | 1:11 PM | 6:11 PM | 10:11 PM |
| DPI | 5:14 AM | 8:14 AM | 1:14 PM | 6:14 PM | 10:14 PM |
| Sterling Road | 5:18 AM | 8:18 AM | 1:18 PM | 6:18 PM | 10:18 PM |
| Veterinary Hospital | 5:22 AM | 8:22 AM | 1:22 PM | 6:22 PM | 10:22 PM |
| Trustpuram | 5:28 AM | 8:28 AM | 1:28 PM | 6:28 PM | 10:28 PM |
| Pudur High School | 5:33 AM | 8:33 AM | 1:33 PM | 6:33 PM | 10:33 PM |
| PTR/Kamaraj Rd Jn | 5:37 AM | 8:37 AM | 1:37 PM | 6:37 PM | 10:37 PM |
| Muthumariamman Koil | 5:42 AM | 8:42 AM | 1:42 PM | 6:42 PM | 10:42 PM |
| K.K. Nagar | 5:47 AM | 8:47 AM | 1:47 PM | 6:47 PM | 10:47 PM |
| Timetable Notes | Route 17D runs every 5 minutes — one of Chennai’s most frequent MTC routes. You rarely wait more than 5 minutes. Peak hour (7 AM to 10 AM and 5 PM to 8 PM) traffic between Broadway and Egmore can add 10 to 20 minutes. All times are estimates. Always verify at mtcbus.tn.gov.in. |
Traveller Tips
- Route 17D is one of MTC’s highest-frequency routes. Missing a bus means a 5-minute wait at most stops during operating hours.
- At Broadway, Route 17D departs from a specific bay — check the board. Routes 11G, 17, and 17D all serve the K.K. Nagar / Kodambakkam corridor; verify the destination board.
- For Vadapalani and CMBT from K.K. Nagar, multiple routes connect at the K.K. Nagar terminus. CMBT is approximately 3 km by auto.
- The Egmore section (Central to DPI) is subject to heavy peak-hour congestion. Budget extra time for commutes between 8 and 10 AM.
- Monthly pass: Rs 2,000 unlimited MTC pass covers Route 17D. Moovit app for real-time tracking.
Last updated: April 2026. MTC may change route timings, stops, and fares without notice. Always verify current information at mtcbus.tn.gov.in before travel.
