CHENNAI: A 76-year-old differently abled man was allegedly prevented from boarding an MTC bus in Chennai on Friday by the conductor who said his wheelchair would take up the space of four passengers and he should avoid travelling in public buses during peak hours.
Alex, the passenger, said that he frequently encountered such problems after he started using public buses three years ago. "My left leg was amputated seven years ago due to diabetic complications. My wife died three years ago. Till my wife was alive, she used to take care of all my needs," Alex said.
On Friday, Alex left his home in Chetpet around 9 am for a friend's place on Cenotaph Road to take his help to get his wheelchair fixed. Several bus conductors refused to take him in. "I used to work as a cook till my leg was amputated. After the surgery, finding a job has become difficult. I had to shell out Rs 150 for an auto to reach my friend’s house. I have to often plead with conductors to allow me to board a bus," Alex said.
"There are several instances of conductors charging additional fare for carrying wheelchairs on buses. While only a few disabled people dare to use public transport, such incidents deter them too," said Sudha Ramamoorthy of Disability Rights Alliance.
This blatant discrimination against a PwD is a violation of the Constitution. Because of this, PwDs have to spend several times more than an average person for travel. MTC officials were not available for comment.