DINDIGUL
The strike called by major transport workers’ unions was partial in Theni and Dindigul districts as 30% of TNSTC buses and all private buses were plying on Monday.
In Dindigul, normal life was partially affected as TNSTC and private buses covered prime routes. Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation directed its employees to move all vehicles to designated bus stands from depots. They directed the available drivers to operate buses on the basis of demand. Sufficient workforce was deployed at the central bus stand and main depots.
Meanwhile, a section of the workers staged a ‘begging agitation’ at Nagal Nagar in protest against the government for not conceding their demands.
Ten CITU members were arrested in Oddanchatram for preventing the transport corporation crew from performing their duty. Some drivers were threatened in Natham.
Capitalising on the situation, private bus operators increased fare as the government tacitly gave them total freedom to operate buses on any route.
They increased fare by 20% to 30% for all destinations.
Theni
Bus services were not affected much in the district as all private operators operated even spare buses. Kerala State Transport Corporation operated buses to Cumbum, Bodi and Theni from Kumuli, Kattapanai and Vandi Periyar as usual. Around 130 of the 434 buses were plying in the district. Collector N. Venkatachalam inspected the operation of buses at the central bus stand in the morning.
Ramanathapuram
Office-goers and general public were put to hardship as the TNSTC operated skeletal bus services in the district.
Only 111 of the 370 (30%) of the State-run buses were operated from six depots in Ramanathapuram district, police and official sources said.
Collector S. Natarajan visited a depot and supervised the movement of buses. The district administration and Regional Transport Office planned to operate government buses with the help of the bus drivers of educational institutions, but it did not materialise till the evening.
In Sivaganga, Divisional Revenue Officer T. Ilango supervised the movement of buses from the depot. In all, 118 of the 285 TNSTC buses being operated from five depots in the district were operated on Monday, sources said. The district administration pressed into service 45 school and college buses on some routes.
Private buses were operated to full capacity in Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts. Police pickets were posted in front of the depots and at bus stands, the police said.
