No strike impact, 96% buses ran as usual, says govt; unions reject claim

CHENNAI: The bus strike announced by a section of trade unions had limited impact, as 96 per cent of the town and outstation services were operated as scheduled, Transport Minister SS Sivasankar claimed on Tuesday.

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) services were normal, with 3,129 of the 3,233 scheduled services being operated. MTC managing director Alby John Varghese said the buses were operated as per the regular schedule. “Passengers can travel without any fear. All the drivers and conductors are working,” he said.

Anticipating difficulties due to the strike, some passengers switched to other modes of transport, including suburban trains, Metro Rail, and their own vehicles.

As of 6 pm, the eight transport corporations operated 16,983 of the total scheduled services of 17,713 buses across the State. The unions had announced the strike demanding the implementation of a six-point charter of demands, including dearness allowance (DA) hike for retired employees, the commencement of talks for the 15th wage agreement, filling up of vacancies, and payment of DA arrears for serving employees.

Blaming the previous AIADMK regime for the present crisis, Minister Sivasankar said it was difficult to meet their demand for DA hike at a time like this when the State is facing a financial crisis. “It will be implemented when the situation improves,” he assured. He flayed AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for stopping DA to transport workers for 65 months during his regime and also for not revising the wages.

However, CITU State president A Soundararajan dismissed the claim that 96 per cent of scheduled services were operated, and said the buses were merely taken out of the depot and then brought back.

He alleged that engaging outsourced and temporary drivers has resulted in at least five accidents. “One temporary worker engaged as a driver abandoned the bus midway after finding it difficult to change gears,” he claimed.

HC to hear plea against strike

The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court would hear a PIL seeking direction to the government to take preventive measures to stop the strike called by various transport employees unions, on Wednesday as first case. The strike infringed the fundamental rights guaranteed in Article 19 and 21 of the Constitution, said the petition.