People using public transport rises to 60 per cent: Tamil Nadu Minister SS Sivasankar

TIRUCHY: The percentage of people using public transport has gone up to 60 per cent from 40 per cent following the implementation of the State’s government’s free transport for women scheme, Transport Minister SS Sivasankar said.

He was taking part in the 15th AITUC State conference, where he spoke about the State’s efforts to revive the transport sector which is facing revenue-related issues owing to various reasons.

 “The Union government is trying to privatise public sectors, and it has already touched the railways. Our State is trying to prevent that from happening. DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi brought the transport sector under the State government and this improved connectivity to remote places. This is still a dream in several other states.  The percentage of people using public transport has gone up to 60 from 40 after the government implemented the free bus pass scheme for women,” Sivasankar said.

When asked whether the TNSTC would face a shortage of funds owing to the implementation of the free bus pass scheme, Sivasankar said, “Funds are coming from other departments like the Social Welfare Departments. So, the scheme will not affect spending on the transport sector.”

While speaking at the conference, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said he is grateful to transport workers, who safely help students and about 1.85 core people who travel by government buses every day. The DMK regime, from 1996-2001, introduced 9,450 new buses and 1,450 new routes.