CMBT wears a deserted look, as people cancel travel plans

Though the government-run State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) buses were plying as per schedule, the crowds were minimal. Anand, who operates one of the stalls at CMBT, said, “Usually, there are a lot more people here. In fact, it is hard to find a place to sit. But today, the crowd is lesser than normal. I think people were scared to travel long distance, after the news came that the CM was in a critical stage.” 

A bus driver, who wished to remain anonymous, said the services were plying normally. Private buses, on the other hand, decided to stay off roads, forcing many passengers to cancel their travel plans. This was mainly due to fears of damage to vehicles and concerns over passenger safety. A Anbalagan, Secretary, All Omni Bus Owners Association, said, “The private buses were operating until 5.30 pm, after which we suspended the services. We didn’t know about the situation in different places and hence didn’t want to take risk. Once we are sure of the conditions, we will resume our services.”

Petrol bunks crowded All the petrol bunks in the city witnessed long queues on Monday, as people thronged to fill up their vehicles, anticipating a shut down. V N Arun, a bank employee, was late for his rendezvous as he had to fill up his vehicle, which took nearly 30 minutes. “Coupled with traffic jams on the way, it took more than two hours to reach my destination from Ashok Pillar,” he said. Maya S, a city-based media professional, said, “To avoid standing in the queues, I checked all the bunks on Anna Salai, which were equally crowded. I ended up having to wait for more than 30 minutes to fill fuel in my car.” Petrol dealers say they have enough supply to last for the next few days. K P Murali, President, Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Association (TNPDA) said, “On the evening of December 4, when the CM had been declared to be in a critical stated, we had asked all the dealers to fill up their underground tanks to maximum capacity. We want to ensure the outlets remain open to the public.”