Just over 50% of TNSTC buses ply

Authorities claim strike did not affect services much, but workers’ unions say it had a lasting impact

Off the road: Government buses parked at Konavattam bus depot in Vellore on Monday after the TNSTC workers began their indefinite strike.

The district administration in Vellore and Tiruvannamalai has taken steps to operate maximum number of buses to ensure passengers are not affected by the strike by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation workers.

In Vellore, Collector C.A.Raman inspected central bus stand and the Krishna Nagar bus depot and told reporters that 53% of government buses were operated in the district.

Mr.Raman said, “A total of 241 buses of 9 depots were operated and another 130 buses are to be operated with the help of private drivers.

Also, 135 private buses are operated,” he said.

Of the drivers and conductors who turned up for work, 60% were regular workers and the remaining qualified private workers, a TNSTC official said.

Tiruvannamalai Collector Prashant M.Wadnere said around 90% of TNSTC buses were operated either by regular drivers and private drivers. “That apart, wherever necessary we made alternative arrangements,” he said.

Sign of normalcy?

“People from across the district participated in the weekly grievance redress meeting held at the Collectorate on Monday.

“This is a sure sign that people could come to Tiruvannamalai from different parts of the district using public transport,” Mr.Wadnere said.

However, A.Sekar, divisional general secretary of CITU transport workers unit, said only about 40% of the buses were operated. Very passengers were seen travelling in buses.

Meanwhile, there were incidents of some persons wearing helmet pelting buses with stones at Polur and Vandavasi.