Change conditions in tenders for bus stoppage at highway motels: Arappor

CHENNAI: Pointing out that the tender conditions for bus stoppage at highway motels are against the benefit of passengers, Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-graft organization, has urged the transport department to modify the conditions.

In a petition to department Minister SS Sivasankar and officials, M Radhakrishnan of the organisation said that the tender condition allows the motels to collect Rs. 5 as charges from passengers for using the toilets.

"Mostly, the government buses are used by the old age citizens and citizens from humble backgrounds. Collecting charges for this basic necessary service from those passengers will add further burden in their life."

"Also, this collected money is neither accounted nor is it monitored by the government. The charges collected from the passengers travelling in SETC and TNSTC buses for toilet usage at this large scale by the motels is nothing but a daylight robbery," he said.

The petition added that the provision to collect the charges for toilets in the motels is not mentioned in any of the previous tenders floated by SETC. The practice of collecting charges for the toilets is considered illegal until now.

Pointing out that the tender will encourage monopoly, Radhakrishnan urged the department to modify a condition that allows extension of contract based on the performance and rating for the motels.

"This condition will also lead to loss of money to the department as extension will be given without increase in contract charges," he added.

The petition urged to publish a corrigendum or call for re-tender by mandating first aid boxes at the motels, free usage of toilets and locked complaint boxes.