There is some good news for the cash-starved State Transport Corporation.
The Deepavali festival fetched appreciable revenues from southern districts and few other towns including Kumbakonam, Coimbatore, Salem and Villupuram.
However, a heavy downpour dampened the operations in Chennai, Kancheepuram and the peripheries, officials here said. For the Deepavali, the TNSTC had made elaborate arrangements from November 6 to 16. Special services were operated from different destinations to facilitate public reach home from work stations.
The Madurai division (comprising Madurai, Virudhunagar and Dindigul), which collects Rs 1.6 crore to Rs 1.8 crore every day, collected Rs 2.8 crore during the Deepavali festival period. A similar collection was reported from other divisions including Coimbatore, Kumbakonam, Salem, Tirunelveli and Villupuram.
A senior TNSTC official told The Hindu that rain dampened the operations in Chennai with the result MTC and that SETC buses could not ply as planned.
In terms of diesel consumption, Madurai division topped on efficiency per kilometre. It is calculated by the total income earned, divided by the total operated kilometre. The Madurai division achieved Rs. 22.11 score, followed by Coimbatore Rs. 21.93.
Team work
Meanwhile, trade union representatives said when workers put up a good performance, the arrears due to them should be settled. “It will motivate the work force,” said S. Sampath of TN Transport Employees Staff Federation. He attributed the higher collection to the commitment shown by bus crew, maintenance and field supervisors who readily agreed to work on a holiday that too available round-the-clock.
“For each worker, 19 months arrears (difference in salaries) are pending. The government should take steps to pay it now,” G. Rajendran of the CITU said. “Besides, 10 months DA too is pending for payments,” he added.
From the commuters’ point of view, the facilities were not up to the mark. For instance, buses in the Madurai-Theni, Tirunelveli-Nagercoil route were leaky.
The side windows too were not working. As a result, rainwater seeped in causing discomfort to passengers, say crew members.
Usually, a bus is operated for six years or seven lakh kilometre when it is considered to be ‘fit to run’. However, many buses in the TNSTC had surpassed the six-year tenure.
Rain dampened operations of MTC and SETC buses
News: The Hindu
