CHENNAI: Travelling on the footboards of Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses will longer be allowed as the transport corporation has asked the bus crew to report the incidents of students who travel on the footboard to the police.
A Anbu Abraham, managing director, MTC, in his directive on Wednesday reiterated that none should be allowed to travel on MTC buses in an unsafe manner. “Safety of commuters is the primary responsibility of the bus crew. It has already been informed that buses should not be operated if the school students are found travelling on the footboard thereby endangering their lives,” said Abraham.
First, the conductor and driver should advise the students to get inside. If the students fail to comply, the crew should take the bus to the nearby police station or halt at the traffic police check post, added Abraham.
Following the death of two students who travelled last year, the MTC conducted a field study to assess the demand of the school students during peak hours. Accordingly, 22 additional cut services in 13 bus routes were introduced. However, footboard travel continues in many parts of the city.
Sources said depot managers have been conducting meetings with school management to create awareness of the risks of footboard travel. “We held a series of meetings with schools run by the corporation, private institutions, government and government-aided in Chennai and suburban areas. But headmasters and teachers are reluctant to get involved in this issue as footboard travel happens outside the campus,” said an official, adding more buses will be added to the fleet soon.
An MTC depot manager said, “We have requested schools to deploy a staff or teacher during evening hours to regulate the students while boarding buses, but no school has accepted our request. Hence, the administration has decided to seek the support of the police.”As per official data, students from 2,831 schools in Chennai and the outskirts travel in MTC buses.