COIMBATORE: Though the State government announced free travel for women in town buses last year, TNSTC officials in Valparai are violating the order, alleged members of Coimbatore district estate workers association, which is affiliated to CITU.
General secretary of CITU P Paramasivam said, "TNSTC does not operate town buses in Valparai, which deprives hundreds of women working in estates of free travel. TNSTC officials said town bus services cannot be operated in hill stations." Town bus service is important for around 30,000 estate workers — of which 15,000 are women — as well as female employees of private companies and self-employed women, Paramasivam added. The association has written to the district administration on the issue.
According to a senior official from the TNSTC Valparai branch, only Mofussil services are operated in all 36 routes in the region. Sources however said, except on a few ghat roads, buses can be operated as town services in several routes in Valparai. They pointed out that this is being done in the Nilgiris, which is also a hill station. K Ismail, staff of TNSTC and CITU office bearer, explained, "The department operates only Express Services on most routes, citing low revenue. This has led to a drastic decline of commuters recently." When contacted, the Managing director of TNSTC Coimbatore division S Arumugam, said only Mofussil services are being operated in Valparai as per norms. "We will look into the issue. We can bring the free travel scheme by operating town buses during the new augmentation of routes in Valparai," he added. Coimbatore district Collector GS Sameeran assured to look into the issue and take action.