The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Row between officials, crew hits MTC services

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 13, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Row between officials, crew hits MTC services

Staff Reporter

Scores of commuters stranded at Tambaram bus stand

PROTEST: Striking bus drivers outside the Tambaram bus depot on Thursday afternoon. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM : The Metropolitan Transport Corporation were disrupted for over two hours as a section of the crew and some MTC officials at the Tambaram depot traded charges against each other on Thursday afternoon.

Trouble broke out a little past noon when a driver returned to the depot on his A 18 bus that was to ply till Broadway. He told the authorities at the Branch Manager's office that the bus could not be operated due to technical problems. The crew and officials had a heated exchange and reportedly came to blows.

Strike

As news about the incident spread, the other members of the crew struck work and assembled near the depot gate and prevented the movement of the buses.

Though both sides lodged complaints with the Tambaram police, they later withdrew following a compromise. Due to the skirmish, scores of commuters on their way to different parts of the city were stranded at the Tambaram bus stand, as very few buses were operated between 12.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m.

The crew alleged that the officials behaved in high-handed manner and ill-maintained vehicles were given to them. When there was a breakdown, the crew had to bear the ire of the commuters.

Erratic schedules

Further, the service schedules were erratic and working hours not regulated, they added. However, the authorities argued that the crew always respond in such offensive behaviour whenever an attempt is made to keep a check on indiscipline.

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