Tamil Nadu bus strike: No more talks, but minister promises special Pongal buses
Chennai: Public need not worry as steps have been taken to address the shortage of bus services and for Pongal more special buses will be operated, transport minister M. R. Vijayabhaskar told reporters at the secretariat on Monday. We are also holding talks with Southern Railway to operate additional trains to help commuters.
The workers’ unions on Monday brushed aside Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar’s threat of punitive action and announced they would in fact step up the agitation by bringing along their families to demonstrate outside all divisional offices of the transport corporations across the state. This will happen from Tuesday, even as the Minister shut the doors for negotiations declaring at a late evening media briefing: “We have held talks 23 times these last 18 months. There is no room for talks anymore. The workers must return to work or else face severe action”.
The minister who defended the steps taken by his ministry emphasised that the transport workers were paid on par with other government department workers. Earlier talks were scheduled only once in four years with the transport union and this was brought down to once in three years and now despite getting a allocation of Rs 1000 crore, the employees are not helping the state, he rued.
Under the present increase, the minimum hike was Rs 2,684 and the maximum Rs 11,366, but the unions are making politics. The present increase would result in an additional burden of Rs 1,000 crore to the state exchequer. If the employees return to duty by Tuesday they will be spared from departmental action, he stressed. The minister said government employees’ salaries were revised once in 10 years and that of transport workers once in three years.
On dues of retired transport workers, he referred to the Madras high court directive and said the government has agreed to clear the amount before Pongal.
Railway to run extra local trains
To clear the extra rush of passengers due to bus strike, the Southern Railway has announced 30 extra EMU and MEMU special trains to suburban areas.
In the press release, the zonal railway said that 30 extra EMU and MEMU trains would be operated in Chennai Beach – Tambaram – Chengalpattu section, Chennai Beach/Chennai MMC – Tiruvallur/Arakkonam section, Avadi – Gummidipoondi – Chennai Central (MMC) section and Chennai Beach – Velachery section from January 9 until further notice.
4 pairs of Chennai Beach – Velachery EMU special trains, 1 Pair of Chennai Beach – Arakkonam MEMU
Special trains, 1 pair of Chennai – Avadi MEMU special trains and 9 pairs of EMU special trains in Chennai Beach – Tambaram / Chengalpattu corridor would be operated, the press release added.
The Southern Railway would also operate 9 EMU special trains in Chennai Central (MMC) – Tiruvallur / Avadi – Gummidipoondi – Chennai Central (MMC) corridor.
