CHENNAI: The whistle had been one of the trademarks of bus conductors in Tamil Nadu for decades but COVID-19 may soon make it a thing of the past. To contain the spread of the virus, the state transport department is planning to do away with the practice of conductors blowing whistles.
The Villupuram division of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) on Tuesday started a trial with a wireless remote control calling bell for communication between conductors and drivers. The devices which would eliminate the need for conductors to blow their whistles have been installed in five buses operated from Villupuram to Tiruvannamalai and Kallakuruchi.
“Bus conductors are often forced to remove their masks to signal the driver either to stop or move ahead. Blowing the whistle without a mask increases the risk of COVID-19 infection for both the crew as well as commuters. So a wireless calling bell system was planned to be introduced in all the buses,” said a senior official transport department, adding that a final decision is to be taken after studying the feedback from the crew.
The decision comes after more than ten bus crew members tested positive in the last three weeks. Presently, Villupuram division operates over 600 buses in Villupuram, Kallakuruchi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai and Cuddalore districts. During the lockdown, the government permitted buses to carry upto 60 percent of its capacity.
While welcoming the initiative, bus conductors said the functioning of the calling bell should be tested further. “When elderly persons or children slip from the stairs while alighting, we immediately blow the whistle to stop the bus. We are not sure for how long a device which runs on battery would survive in government buses. Only after using the device for a few months will the advantages be known,” said a conductor.
Officials said considering the increasing virus infection, the state transport corporations have been preparing to operate buses with adequate safety measures.
Cashless payment system through the Paytm mobile app has been introduced in two employee special buses operated by MTC on the T Nagar–Secretariat and Thadandar Nagar–Secretariat routes in Chennai. “The government is already planning to introduce POS machines allowing commuters to pay the ticket fare through credit and debit cards. Mobile app based payment systems are also being studied and will be introduced in all the corporations in a phased manner,” explained the official.