Pudukkottai: Over-worked crew members in the state-owned Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) long-distance buses are not really known for any courtesy, leave alone their irritable behavior with bus commuters.
But one conductor wishes to make a difference, as apart from issuing tickets he takes on the responsibility of supplying water to passengers travelling in the route he currently serves- Madurai to Thanjavur via Thirumayam and Pudukkottai- both ways.
This good Samaritan-conductor, Thirugnanam (45), hailing from Thirupuvanam in Sivaganga district, sees reaching water to travelling passengers as a little service he can do.
Call it sympathy, empathy or whatever, after issuing tickets to all passengers travelling by the TNSTC bus, Thirugnanam turns a hospitality man. He goes around the bus, asking every passenger whether they need water and promptly hands out water bottles to those who need them.
Talking to DC, Mr. Thiruganam said in the last 12 years he has been working as.TNSTC staff and serving as conductor on the Madurai-Thanjavur route for the last three years.
His shift typically begins at around 2 pm every day and goes on till 2 pm the next day, roughly the time taken for one trip between Madurai and Thanjavur both ways.
"On an average over 700 passengers board our route daily and I found many struggling to find water during travel; so, realizing their difficulty, I collect 20 PET bottles of water at Madurai and Thanjavur bus stations daily before the journey commenced and thus supply more than 60 litres of water to needy passengers every day," says Thirugnanam.
"Service to people is service to God," says the humble bus conductor, thanking the Almighty for giving him "such a wonderful opportunity to serve the needy".
Even as passengers appreciate his extra services, you never know, Thirugnanam could become TNSTC's 'brand ambassador' tomorrow.
