Last week, pensioner R. Santhanam travelled in a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus on route 29C, from Adyar signal to Cathedral Road.
When he alighted at his destination, he realised to his shock that his pocket had been picked. His wallet, containing around Rs. 2,000 and a cheque that had to be deposited in a bank, had been stolen.
While all buses prominently display the ‘beware of pickpockets’ sign, commuters say little else is done to counter the problem.
One of the biggest hassles is attention diversion, they say. Miscreants distract commuters and make away with handbags and other personal belongings.
Although security is occasionally provided on buses, it is difficult to monitor lakhs of commuters travelling every day.
If a stranger on a bus tells you that you have dropped your money on the floor, it is better to ignore it, since it most likely is a ploy to divert your attention, the police say. According to an MTC official, there are cases of passengers’ belongings being stolen almost every day.
“During rush hours, it is very difficult to monitor the movements in a bus. Although plainclothes policemen are deployed on some routes, commuters should understand there is little safety for their belongings when the bus is overcrowded. Ladies’ handbags are the easiest targets for thieves,” he says.
It is always advisable not to carry large amounts of cash or valuables on buses during rush hours.
Commuters should also remain alert at all times, and keep a firm grip on their handbags to reduce the risk of being robbed while travelling, the official says.
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When MTC crew is at the receiving end
Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus crew have a reputation of being rude with commuters, but not many know of the hardships faced by drivers and conductors on night shift.
Last Sunday, the crew of a night shift bus on route T51 was harassed by a group of drunken young men near Tambaram.
While one of them got into the bus, taunting and harassing the conductor for no reason, a few others chased the bus in their SUV. They drove in a rash manner in an attempt to force the bus driver to brake suddenly and cause anxiety among the commuters.
But it did not stop with that. The youth soon parked their vehicle near a bus stop and rushed towards the driver’s window, hurling abuses.
Only after commuters stepped in and reprimanded the youth did they leave, but not before banging the sides of bus with their hands.
“Such incidents are common during night duty. Helping commuters safely reach their houses at odd hours is more than a job, it gives us great satisfaction,” says a member of the CITU employees union at MTC’s Pallavan depot.
But such harassment by youth is deeply disturning, he says.
(Reporting by Kavita Kishore and K. Manikandan)
