COIMBATORE: Conductors in the Ooty region of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) have been advised not to allow male passengers to occupy seats designated for female passengers on buses.
The TNSTC authorities issued this instruction to conductors after a pregnant woman raised a complaint.
Recently, in a letter, the General Manager of the TNSTC Ooty region stated that seats in the corporation buses are allocated separately for male, females and differently-abled persons. Conductors are instructed to ensure passengers sit in their allocated seats on buses.
In case passengers refuse to sit in their allocated seats on the buses, conductors shall approach the nearest police station or police checkpost to resolve the issue, the letter states.
The directive was in response to a scuffle between a pregnant woman and a man on a bus on the Kotagiri-Mettupalayam route last month, said sources. The man allegedly refused to vacate the ladies' seat when she asked and tried to push her out from the seat.
"The woman in her complaint to the TNSTC General Manager urged to ensure that female passengers get their seats on buses in the Nilgiris district," sources added.
When asked about it, a top officer from the TNSTC Ooty region confirmed the directive and also told TNIE that Checking Inspectors have been asked to make surprise inspections to see whether male passengers are sitting in seats reserved for female passengers or not.
A memo will be issued to conductors seeking an explanation if male passengers are found on seats reserved for female passengers during inspection, he added.