The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : 3 more transport corporations under consideration: Minister

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

3 more transport corporations under consideration: Minister

Special Correspondent

Many of them have too many buses, says Nehru

K.N. Nehru

CHENNAI: Transport Minister K. N. Nehru said on Friday that the government was studying the possibility of creating three more transport corporations since some of them had too many buses.

Replying to a question from M. Appavu (DMK), Mr. Nehru said many transport corporations were shut down because they were running at a loss. A process of rationalisation was done.

When the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government took over, there were about 17,500 buses in the State transport corporations. Now there were about 20,000 buses. Some transport corporations such as the Madurai Transport Corporation and the Chennai-based Metropolitan Transport Corporation were huge and had over 3,000 buses each. Hence, the department was examining the possibility of creating at least three more corporations.

Replying to a question from C. Govindasamy (CPI-M), Mr. Nehru said there had been no hike fares in the guise of low-floor buses. “There is a campaign going on that we are operating different coloured buses and charging more each time. This is not true.”

He said only in the case of State Express Transport Corporations had some super deluxe buses been replaced with ultra deluxe buses (that have a higher fare structure). In Chennai, as many as 2,100 were ordinary buses, 100 more than what the earlier AIADMK government operated. The low-floor buses were operated on new routes based on the demand.

T. Velmurugan (PMK) wanted the government to set up industries in cashew-growing regions of Cuddalore to process cashew. He said varnish could be produced from cashew shell and, like in Goa, fenny could be extracted from its fruit. Rural Industries Minister Pongalur Palanichamy said the member was out of line with his party policy of prohibition.

D. Jayakumar claimed that a recent study had proved that consumption of cashew increased ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol while controlling ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol.

Electricity Minister Arcot N.Veerasamy advised people not to eat cashew. It will lead to increase in cholesterol and blood pressure, he warned.

Walkout

Earlier, during zero hour, the AIADMK staged a walkout after it was not allowed to raise an issue. Party leaders O. Paneerselvam and K.A. Sengottaiyan later told reporters outside the House that they had tried to speak on the law and order situation. A person who was to appear in court in connection with the case relating to the murder of former Minister T. Kiruttinan could not do so. This highlighted the deterioration in law and order.

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