Public transport in the city was disrupted on Monday morning as a result of the all-India strike announced by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). Thousands of commuters were distressed by the absence of Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC). Office goers, school students and daily wage labourers were left stranded as a result. Buses were not available in important junctions of Koyambedu, T. Nagar, Broadway and Tambaram.
Tamilselvan, a daily wage labourer, said no buses were available for him to go to Ambattur Estate from Guindy and that he had to take the share autos which demanded more.
CITU members staging a demonstration at Guindy Industrial Estate. | Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj
Bhaktavachalam, an office-bearer of the CITU, said the transport strike was against the privatisation policies of the Central government. He said only 8% of the buses were on the city roads, as most of the bus crew had not reported for duty. The Labour Progressive Front (LPF), along with eight transport unions, are part of this strike.
A senior official of the MTC said normally 1,250 buses would be operated in the morning shift but only 320 buses were out on the road.
No impact
The strike had very little impact on the attendance of government employees at the Secretariat. Although many of the staff turned up late to their offices in the Secretariat due to non-availability of sufficient bus transport, the attedance was almost normal, sources said.
