KOCHI: The reserved seats in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses and the private buses have always been a point of contest with the passengers and bus employees.
Janardhanan Pillai, a 75-year-old man from Ernakulam got on a KSRTC bus leaving for Thrissur. The reserved seats for the elderly were occupied by school students. As he is a patient with severe nerve disorder, he was shivering. The person who accompanied him requested the students to let Pillai sit. However, the students refused. They approached the conductor when the students refused. However, the reply from the conductor was that ‘everyone pays the same amount and that if they wanted someone to get up from a seat, they themselves can ask’.
“It is the conductor’s responsibility to see to it that all passengers are able to avail the rightful concessions given to them. This is despicable and laws should be more stringent when it comes to implementing too,” said Jeevan, who accompanied Pillai.
Almost all public transport buses have reserved seats for elderly people, disabled, women and pregnant women. By law, anyone who does not fall into this category if seated when people of this category are standing, should let them use the reserved seat.
The seats reserved for women again is another constant issue of arguments and skirmishes in buses. Men often use these seats and would refuse to move for women. Sharada, a teacher from Chengannur recalls her experience while travelling from Chengannur to Kottayam. She had got into a bus that had a few empty seats. Two men who got in from the same stand sat down on the reserved seats. When they were asked to move, they refused. When the conductor himself came and asked them to move, he was showered with abuses and then they were directed at her too. She got down at Thiruvalla in tears while the conductor stood helpless.
“In many cases, the passengers go as far as to manhandle the staff when we insist on the seat change. So, most of the conductors tend to ignore the reservation arguments to avoid getting into such situations,” said Sugatha, a lady conductor in an inter- district service. Only buses with online reservation do not have seats reserved for these categories.