CHENNAI: The city's buses are turning to be easy targets for vandals and protesters.

Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) authorities are concerned over a spurt in the number of stone pelting incidents on the Corporation's buses since January this year.

Officials say that between January to September this year, windshields and headlights of 45 buses were damaged in various parts of the city. In the same period last year, the number of buses damaged was only 35.

The authorities have identified the problem-prone roads in the city where the pelting of stones on MTC services occur regularly.

The roads include Anna Salai, Periyar EVR Salai (Poonamallee High Road), Kamarajar Salai and Peters Road.

A senior MTC officer told The Hindu that of late the MTC staff and police have been able to apprehend the students who damaged windshields or the headlights.

The Corporation was able to collect the money for the damages caused as well the revenue loss due to non-operation of the service. Last year the MTC had collected Rs 27,000 as compensation for damages and this year so far (in the nine months from January) the MTC had collected Rs 38,000, officials said.

Most of the incidents involved college students. On several of these occasions, the MTC authorities had informed the respective college heads about the involvement of their students in the stone pelting. The response from the college authorities seemed to be mixed

An officer felt that the college authorities should hold meetings with parents and talk to them about the issue and create awareness among students on protecting public assets. MTC sources said in some of the cases the students did not stop with damaging the vehicles, but had gone on to assault the bus crew.

However, instead of turning the incidents into criminal cases, the officials said the whenever the students involved were caught by the police or by the public, they were released after being made to pay compensation to the Corporation. They are let off with a stern warning in front of their parents, officials added.

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