Pulled up for less revenue, MTC staff take to protest

On Thursday morning, the MTC staff at Chengalpattu bus depot gathered and protested since they were marked absent as the passenger count was low in the buses and revenue generation hit.

There are over 800 staff working in Chengalpet bus depot and 106 buses are being operated. Sources said following the lockdown, the State government had ordered to follow social distancing in the buses and the passenger count should not exceed more than 35 on a bus.

However, the staff claimed that since the passenger count is low, the officials are marking them as absent for the day and they are not given work for the next few days. The staff said no such rules are implemented in any of the bus depots in Tamil Nadu, but in Chengalpet depot the officials are treating them as bonded labourers.

Around 9.30 am the transport officials visited the spot and held a peace talk with the agitators after which the latter gave up the protest and started to operate the buses around 10.30 am.

Following the strike, the passengers were affected for nearly six hours.

The office-goers were the ones who suffered a lot since the EMU train service is yet to restart after COVID lockdown.