CHENNAI: Bus commuters have demanded that they be allowed to travel to their homes beyond 10 pm.
While imposing curbs between 10 pm and 4 am from Tuesday, the government exempted autos, call taxis and private vehicles which ferry travellers to and fro railway stations and airports. However, there was no travel options for commuters if the buses reached the destination beyond 10 pm. Many commuters expressed concerns over lack of guidelines.
S Kanthan, a Madurai-bound traveller said, “I have to travel up to Sholavanthan. If the bus is delayed by an hour, I will miss my last bus. I need an alternative travel option after 10 pm.“ Official sources from the transport department said buses are scheduled to terminate at bus stands between 9 pm and 9.30 pm, however, chances for getting delayed due to unforeseen circumstances cannot be ruled out. “The issue will be taken up with government officials if situation arises,” said the official.
Similarly, autos which take commuters home from bus stands also should finish return journey before 10 pm. K Swaminathan, auto driver at Koyambedu said, “Travellers who arrive at CMBT between 9 and 9.30 pm, may require 20 to 30 minutes to reach their houses for up to 12-km distance. In that case, we will have to make a return journey only after 10 pm. There is no rationale behind imposing restrictions only for bus commuters, while allowing the return journey for train and flight travellers.”
A senior police officer said, “As of now, there are no exemptions for operating autos or private vehicles from bus stands. The commuters will be penalised if they travel beyond 10 pm.” On the first day of night lockdown, the SETC operated over 30 per cent of its fleet. However, the buses operated with only a handful of commuters. The mofussil buses ran with more than 80 per cent occupancy.
At CMBT, commuters were screened through thermal scanners and only those who got the temperature below 99 degree were allowed to travel. Meanwhile, a section of Omni bus operators announced that their services will remain suspended until the government relaxes lockdown restrictions. The bus operators earlier demanded the government to waive off the road tax for the past 18 months.