CHENNAI: In the face of strong opposition from trade unions associated with the CPM, AIADMK and others, the Villupuram division of TNSTC has begun hiring private vehicles on a Gross Cost Contract (GCC) basis to meet the transportation demand during festival season.
For the Ayudha Pooja holidays, the corporation hired 15 mofussil buses to manage the extra rush between Koyambedu and Tiruvannamalai, though only five were actually put into service, official sources said. The private buses on these high-demand routes will be paid Rs 45 to Rs 50 per km by TNSTC as per the GCC.
Under the arrangement, private bus operators cover the maintenance cost and provide drivers, while the corporation assigns conductors to collect fares. The ticket revenue is realised by the corporation, which compensates the operators based on the total distance travelled on specified routes and dates. The hired buses bore two stickers: “Payanam” and “On Hire for TNSTC - Villupuram Special Bus.” Passengers were charged the regular mofussil express bus fare.
Officials said that with the end of the quarterly holidays for schools on October 7, the weekend has not witnessed the regular crowd. Out of the 15 private buses prepared, 10 were not utilised. An official explained, “We saw sudden spikes in demand on certain routes, particularly in KCBT - Tiruvannamalai and Vellore - Tiruvannamalai, and a few other locations. We have already identified routes with high demand during festivals and weekends.”
The official also mentioned that private buses may be hired during events like ‘Pournami Grivalam’ and other extended holidays, depending on demand. As of June, 1,734 (52%) of the 3,275 buses in the Villupuram division’s fleet have been in operation for over 12 years.
Sources said spare buses typically used for special services during weekends and festivals have become worn out and are unsuitable for regular service. Further, the corporation’s past practice of diverting scheduled services from other routes to meet demand at Kilambakkam has attracted severe criticism thereby prompting the corporation to hire the private buses.