VIRUDHUNAGAR: Tension prevailed at the Rajapalayam New bus stand on Tuesday night after passengers claimed that the driver of a Rajapalayam to Coimbatore government bus tried to operate the vehicle while drunk, and the conductor allegedly refused to respond to their concerns.
The passengers said that over 25 people were waiting to board the Rajapalayam to Coimbatore bus at the Rajapalayam New Bus Stand around 10.30 pm when they noticed the driver behaving suspiciously and appearing to be drunk, with a strong smell of alcohol.
Speaking to TNIE, S Siva (19), a college student from Rajapalayam, said when they raised their concerns with the conductor, he allegedly responded rudely and did not take the issue seriously.
"We tried calling the Transport helpline and other numbers, but none were reachable, and the conductor refused to share the official contact," he said. As tension grew, the conductor finally contacted an official through his personal phone. The official later arrived at the spot, conducted an inquiry, and replaced the driver with two others.
Meanwhile, a family of five chose to cancel their trip out of fear. "But since it was the last bus, the rest of us had no choice but to continue. Everyone travelled in fear," Siva said.
The bus, originally scheduled to depart at 10.30 pm, finally left at 12.30 am on Wednesday, delaying their arrival. Passengers also raised concerns about the lack of transparency and poor response from the driver, conductor, and the official involved.
However, Rajapalayam Branch 2 Depot Manager Chellapandi declined to comment on the allegations of the driver being drunk. He told TNIE that a report had been submitted to senior officials and abruptly disconnected the call, refusing to answer further queries.