MTC crew go on strike, bus services hit for over 2 hours

DMK-affiliated union members stage a flash strike after over 500 persons were recruited for duty at various depots across the city; over 400 drivers and conductors refused to operate buses

A sudden strike by the bus drivers and conductors in several depots of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) against privatisation paralysed bus operation for more than two hours on Monday evening.

The strike caused severe inconvenience to hundreds of commuters, particularly women office-goers, who were waiting for buses to return home.

A senior official of the MTC said the flash strike was carried out by a section of the employees of Labour Progressive Front, the DMK-affiliated transport union, after 500 driverswere recruited for duty in various bus depots of the city.

More than 400 drivers and conductors of the union refused to operate the buses from several bus termini including Avadi, Ambattur, Red Hills, Thiruvanmiyur, Saidapet, Tondiarpet, T. Nagar and Tambaram.

An LPF office-bearer said the MTC had recruited 513 drivers on a temporary basis to be deployed in 32 depots and they were about to join duty on Tuesday.

Share autorickshaws operating on from Anna Salai to T. Nagar and Anna Nagar ran fully packed.

S. Gunaseelan, a resident of Ambattur and working in a private company on Anna Salai, said he was forced to spend more than ₹200 on an auto to reach the Moore Market for taking the suburban train.

The MTC employees called off the strike after senior officials had a meeting with the leaders of the transport union.

Meanwhile, the City Traffic Police sent an advisory to the auto and share auto drivers not to charge exorbitant amounts from the commuters during the strike.