Several State Transport Corporation buses continued to remain off the roads in Tiruchi region on Tuesday.
To tide over the crisis arising out of the indefinite strike, authorities here engaged drivers of private vehicles on contract basis including those driving trucks to operate government buses.
Announcements were made through public address system in the central bus stand here inviting those with heavy vehicle licence and other documents to approach the depot concerned and enrol themselves to drive buses.
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A senior TNSTC official said that a little over 200 drivers on contract basis had been engaged to drive buses on a daily wage basis.
A board was put up at the entrance of a depot in Tiruchi inviting private drivers to ply buses.
Authorities claimed that over 60 per cent of over 1,000 government buses were operated in Tiruchi, Perambalur and Ariyalur districts on Tuesday.
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However, many private buses could be seen parked on the bays at the central bus stand here to ply to various places within the district and to other cities.
Movement of passengers continued to remain sparse at the central bus stand here. The police said a little over 60 per cent of buses were operated in the central region.
However, trade union sources said that very few buses were operated in the region by engaging private drivers.
Meanwhile, employees who staged demonstrations at various places in front of respective depots were arrested.
The demonstrations by employees affiliated to the LPF, the CITU and the AITUC were held at Thuraiyur and Thuvakudi in Tiruchi district; Kumbakonam, Thanjavur and Kulithalai besides in Tiruchi.
Even as depots across the region were brought under security cover by deploying police as a precautionary measure, incidents of stone pelting on government buses have been reported.
Four incidents
In the past three days, eight government buses were stoned with four incidents reported in Thanjavur district; two in Ariyalur district and one each in Tiruchi and Perambalur district.
A bus conductor was arrested in Thanjavur district for pelting stone on a bus a couple of days ago.
Two held in Karur
The police on Tuesday arrested two drivers of TNSTC buses on the charge of pelting stones on buses.
According to sources, a few persons wearing helmets, who visited different parts of the district on Monday on motorbikes, stoned buses at Ayyampalayam, Puliyur, Onthampatti and Uppidamangalam.
They were annoyed over the operation of buses by a section of transport workers against the strike call given by various unions.
Acting on a complaint, the Vellianai police arrested Mohan and Ramesh.