Chennai: The private bus operators are cashing in on transport staff. A travel agent at Koyambedu said operators have hiked the fares by at least 150 per cent in the last two days, as special reservation counters for the government-run buses remain shut. “Though the fares of south-bound buses skyrocketed, they are being sold like hotcakes.”
Meanwhile, a private bus operator maintained, “There are days when we operate services to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram with just 10 and 15 passengers and the remaining seats go unfilled. It is the festival season such as Christmas, Pongal and Deepavali that we get a major share of passengers. According to the demand we have decided on a minimal increase on each ticket.”
Transport minister M.R.Vijayabhaskar announced that more than 27,000 special buses would ply this Pongal and 29 special counters at Koyambedu, Tambaram Sanatorium and Poonamalle to cater to the additional rush. However, counters equipped with computers and ticket-printing machines, last week wore a deserted look and people have resorted to private buses.
“Though priced high, there is at least assurance that the bus would definitely operate. In the current situation, booking a government bus ticket can prove tricky,” said P. Shruthi, a resident of Egmore.
LPF, CITU don’t budge
Chennai: With the transport unions refusing to call off the indefinite strike till government holds talks again, keeping in abeyance the settlements signed by 34 small unions agreeing to the 2.44 per cent wage hike, the statewide transport strike continued for the seventh consecutive day.
“There is a negligible amount of workforce in the 34 unions. If the court agrees to carry on discussions again tomorrow to negotiate the wage hike, we are ready to be back on the roads the same day to cater to the additional rush owing to Pongal,” said R.Vasudevan from the CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions). A.Sundarrajan from CITU said that government had not made any announcements on the '5,000 crore debited from the salaries of current workers and not remitted towards social security schemes.
The stir has severely affected commuters across the state. Though government has roped in temporary workers, passengers in the suburbs with no metro rail and suburban train connectivity are put to hardship.
The strike was declared on Thursday last after negotiations by staff unions with the state transport department demanding wage revision failed.
The striking employees have been insisting for a pay scale revision to Rs 30,000. However, the authorities have agreed in principle to pay only Rs. 24,400, which the employees feel is a great injustice to workers who deal with severe traffic and stress on a daily basis. Dues to be paid to transport employees including retirement and provident fund dues stand at Rs. 7,543 crore.
