CHENNAI: If one has to go by what the workers’ unions opine, the decision of allowing transport corporations to hire private buses for operating on nationalised routes should be understood as a prelude for privatisation.
The government recently amended the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The amendment was carried out inserting new clause 288A, “In case an emergency arises that a State Transport Undertaking cannot procure its own vehicle, the STU shall be at liberty to run any private vehicle taken on hire on payment of fixed hire charges”.
Citing mounting debts crossing over 12,000 crore and scarcity of workers, fleets of transport corporations has been allegedly reduced from 21,500 to 17,500 in the last few years. As a result, patronage of government buses reduced from 2.1 crore in 2018 to 1.6 crore in January, 2020.
Considering that the recruitment of technical staff, drivers and conductors have been stopped for the past few years, the government’s move would eventually result in privatisation of bus services, even if not fully, at least partially, said K Arumuga Nainar, general secretary of Transport Employees Federation, affiliated to the CITU.
“Once the buses are hired from private bus companies or vehicle manufacturers such as Ashok Leyland, Tata and Bharat Benz, the maintenance will be handed over to them for a fixed period of time, thereby bringing down the requirement for technical staff and drivers in transport corporations,” observed Nainar, adding that buses will be likely to have only a conductor deployed by the government.
Operating private buses on nationalised routes through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will in no way improve the financial condition of transport corporation. Instead, it will only raise debts, pointed out K Natarajan, treasurer of Labour Progressive Union, MTC. “Since over 4,000 buses have already been cancelled in the last two years, vehicle manufacturers will get opportunity to run more than 100 buses depending upon demand. Thus, the chances of malpractices will increase,” Natarajan explained.
Consumer activist T Sadagopan said, “The government should continue to hold control over fixing the bus fares and there should be a proper mechanism for redressal of complaints.” However, officials maintained that the move was an attempt to facilitate the introduction of 525 electric buses under Phase II of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles scheme, as mandated by the Centre. “Though the G.O is introduced mainly for operating electric buses, it allows hiring of private buses in mofussil and town routes across the State,” said a senior transport official.