Travellers were put to severe hardship as several State Transport Corporation buses went off the road across the central region on Sunday due to a flash strike by the employees.
While office-bearers of the unions said that majority of the corporation buses did not ply, transport corporation authorities said that 80 per cent of the buses were operated in the region.
Private buses made a killing in Tiruchi city as commuters made a beeline to them. Stones were pelted on three STC buses – two near Manapparai and one at Ramji Nagar – damaging their windshields.
Although the unions had originally called for a strike from December 29 in support of their demands, including talks for wage agreement, many union members resorted to the flash stir on Sunday itself. The bustling Chathram bus stand in the city saw only few government buses halting at the spot.
Travellers had to wait for a long time to board private buses as most of them were overcrowded.
Asokan, a government employee, who had to return to his home at Kattur on the city’s outskirts, said that he was forced to board a private bus due to the strike. Ponnarasi, a private college student, said she along with her companions had come to Tiruchi to write an examination. However, they were unable to board government bus in the evening at the Chathram bus stand, she said. Many moffusil buses operated from Tiruchi ran with good capacity.
As a precautionary measure, police personnel were deployed in front of the bus depots in the city. As a sequel to the flash strike, Collector K.S.Palanisamy convened a meeting with revenue, police, and transport department officials here on Sunday. The Collector directed the officials to operate buses as usual and ensure that there was no law and order problem.
A large number of passengers were seen stranded at the Central Bus Stand late into the night.
The most affected were the passengers bound for Chennai who were caught unawares by the sudden withdrawal of bus services. Most of them said that they thought that bus services would be withdrawn only after midnight. Private operators exploited the situation by collecting anywhere between Rs.600 and Rs.700 for a ticket to Chennai. Even van operators joined the bandwagon by offering to operate services to Chennai.
THANJAVUR: Less than one sixth of the regular departures from the Thanjavur New Bus Stand were operated till late in the evening. That too was possible only because the members of the ruling party's Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai decided to ply the services to the chagrin of the other trade union members. Those recruited in the last two years and whose services were not regularised yet too had little option but to operate the buses.
Sources in the New Bus Stand Time Keeper's Office said that on any given day 540 departures would be for Tiruchi, 420 for Kumbakonam, 190 for Pattukkottai, 200 for Pudukkottai, 200 for Velankanni/Tiruvarur, and around 150 to Mannargudi.
But on Sunday, less than 300 departures only were effected till evening. The stir hit operations in Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Tiruvarur, Mannargudi, Tiruthuraipoondi, and Pattukottai areas.A trade union leader claimed that of the 6,300 staff in the TNSTC Kumbakonam Division, more than 4,500 were on strike.
PUDUKOTTAI: In Pudukottai, against the total fleet strength of 433, the TNSTC operated 80 per cent of the buses, say sources. All the 127 private buses in the district operated in full strength.
