Bus ‘hidden’ in depot to escape impoundment

Sources revealed that Mannu (50) wife of Sundaramurthy of Ettivadi village was seriously injured when the TNSTC bus moved while she was getting down near her village.

She was admitted to hospital following which she filed a case at the Arani sub court for compensation.

The court ordered TNSTC to pay her a compensation of Rs 72,627. As the transport corporation did not budge, the court in December last ordered payment of Rs 1,82,663 including interest. As this amount too was not paid, the court ordered that the Corporation’s Chennai-Arani bus be impounded.

When court officials were on their way to the Arani bus stand, TNSTC officials received word of the proposed action and hence ensured that the bus did not leave the depot, though Chennai bound passengers were already waiting for the bus in the terminus.

Meanwhile the TNSTC lawyer came to the bus stand and held talks with court officials requesting them not to impound the bus as the pending compensation would be paid immediately.

Only after Mannu received an SMS on her mobile that TNSTC had released Rs 1, 56,000 did court officials relent following which the bus came to the bus stand from the depot after a delay of two hours, for its journey to Chennai.