SOP for transport crew: Be polite, assist women

The state government has announced free travel for working women and women pursuing higher education in ordinary town buses.

In the SOP issued to the state transport undertakings, department Secretary C. Samayamoorthy said the town buses should stop at the bus stops to take waiting passengers. The vehicles should stop irrespective of the fact that there would just be one commuter to board.

“The drivers should stop buses at the designated bus stop and the passengers should not be put to hardships,” the document said.

The bus conductor, it stated, should not ask women passenger to get off citing lack of space. “The conductor should assist aged women passengers in finding seats. Under no circumstance should conductors behave harshly with women. They should be polite in their conduct,” it said. The conductor should give a signal to the driver after women passengers board or get off the bus.

Transport Minister R.S. Rajakannappan had said 6,628 ordinary buses were being operated in the state in which women passengers can travel free-of-cost. In Chennai, he said, MTC operated 1,400 ordinary buses. “After the lockdown, steps will be taken to operate additional buses. Besides increasing the number of ordinary services, there was a proposal to add more routes as well,” he said.