ARIYALUR: Transport Minister SS Sivasankar said that 2.8 lakh people have travelled on government buses in two days.
The minister was speaking to reporters in Ariyalur after inaugurating the new air-conditioned bus service from Sendurai in Ariyalur to Madhavaram in Chennai. He also announced the extension of new routes for five town buses from Jayankondam bus stand on Saturday.
Minister Sivasankar said, "In the past two days, all passengers who came to the Kilambakkam bus terminal were sent back to their hometowns by bus without any inconvenience. On the first day, 1.28 lakh people travelled, and on the second day, 2.28 lakh people travelled, making a total of 3.56 lakh passengers."
"Last year, 1.68 lakh passengers had booked tickets and travelled by government buses, but this year, 2.8 lakh people booked tickets and traveled within just two days, showing the trust people have in government buses," he added.
He noted that passengers had raised complaints over higher fares set by private Omni buses. He added that officials talked to Omni bus operators to resolve these issues.
"Even those who used to prefer private buses during the festival season are now opting for government buses. Also, since the COVID-19 period, people who had been travelling on two-wheelers have started to travel more by government buses. The Transport Department carefully plans and operates buses in advance for every festival, ensuring that people can travel without any issues," he added
Sivasankar said, "We are operating private buses under contract to serve passengers. The same fare charged on government buses applies to private buses as well."