CHENNAI: A year after reviving the Namakku Naame Thittam (self-sufficiency) and Varumun Kappom (preventive healthcare) programmes, first introduced by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in 1997 and 2006 respectively, the state government has decided to give a boost to another signature DMK initiative: the minibus scheme for rural areas.
The scheme, which was first launched in 1997 and expanded in 1999 when Karunanidhi was CM, is touted as a key DMK significant contribution to rural advancement as it introduced minibuses to remote villages deprived of bus services for decades.
There are 4,092 minibuses permitted to operate across the state at present. However, the fare for minibuses has not been revised since 1997, and bus operators have been arbitrarily hiking fares, charging Rs 10 to Rs 30 per ticket on most of the routes.
Now, the MK Stalin government aims to provide mini-bus connectivity to more villages and regularise the existing services. The state transport department recently framed a new mini-bus service scheme, according to which bus fares for minibuses are to be revised, said official sources. “A bus fare revision mechanism will be rolled out soon.”
‘Norms for minibuses poorly enforced in TN’
Incentives will be provided to bus operators for running buses to remote villages,” said an official. As per the transport department’s regulations, issued in 1999, private individuals may operate minibuses in rural areas over a distance of 20 km, with a 4-km overlap on serviced routes. This implies that 16 km of the bus route should cover un-servedareas. “Minibus operators have demanded an increase of overlapping (served route) distance up to 8 km.”
“The government may consider increasing it up to 6 km,” said an official. A proposal to this effect was sent last month. By 1999 when it was expanded, there were 250 buses introduced in each district and 7,600 buses deployed across the State. Minibuses covered all routes except those falling under Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, corporation, municipality and town panchayat limits.
A Madurai-based minibus operator said running buses on un-served routes is impossible due to demand fluctuation. “The 4-km overlapping distance was imposed by regional transport offices in many places due to which we faced a huge ordeal in starting buses from crowded places. Apart from the originating point, it is necessary for us to run buses via densely-populated spots like hospitals, taluk offices, schools, and colleges for a few kilometres,” he added.
D R Dharmaraj, secretary, Federation of Bus Operators Associations of TN said, “Increasing the served route/overlapping distance will affect the earnings of both private and government buses. The norms meant for minibuses are poorly enforced in the State.”
Reframed scheme and its incentives
The scheme will see the revision of bus fares. “A bus fare revision mechanism will be rolled out soon,” said an official. Remote village-bound buses will also be incentivised