Reporter's diary: Abusive bus conductors epitomise misogyny

CHENNAI: Ever since the State government announced free bus travel for women in all government-owned city and State vehicles, there has been a spurt of complaints against bus conductors for being verbally abusive to women.

It’s quite common for MTC buses to wait a little longer at the bus stop to pick up a passenger during the non-peak hours. But such gestures are no longer extended to women, particularly those boarding the whiteboard MTC buses, where they can travel free.

A conductor at the Peravallur bus stop asked a woman to take the next bus as she asked the conductor to wait for another woman coming to board the bus.

A woman inside the bus asked him why he could not wait for a while longer and wondered out loud whether he’d oblige if women paid for the tickets. She also pointed out that the bus was empty, and it was not even peak hour.

But the conductor was dismissive of her argument. He said that he could not wait for a long time and that he had to maintain the timing of bus trips.

This is not an isolated case. Conductors’ attitude towards women, in several cases, is appalling, deserves to be reported. Even after transport corporations take strict action against erring conductors based on complaints received from women, their abominable behaviour towards women passengers continues.

It may be noted that a conductor was temporarily suspended after a woman filed a police complaint against him for abusing her over free travel.