Skeleton services on prime routes from Kancheepuram was ensured on Friday morning much to the relief of office-goers who were affected by the commencement of the bus strike by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation unions from Thursday evening.
Thousands of office-goers from Sriperumpudur, Oragadam depend heavily on the services operated on route numbers 76 (Kancheepuram to CMBT, Koyambedu), 76C (Kancheepuram to Poonamallee) and 79 (Kancheepuram to Tambaram) to reach different destinations in Chennai.
With a section of union employees resorting to strike, the State Transport Corporation officials decided to operate buses with limited crew members on prime routes.
Enquiries reveal that around 20 STC vehicles were pressed into service on these routes till 8 a.m. in additional to the private mofussil buses that were allowed to ply on these routes.
Tense moments
Meanwhile, a group of striking employees who got furious over the vehicles that are being run on prime routes, turned their ire on the drivers and conductors of both the STC and mofussil buses. They allegedly warned them that they might face the aggression of striking employees at the destinations.
They had also objected display of route number bill boards on private vehicles, which were displayed for the benefit of commuters.
Subsequently, the STC officials directed the private bus crew to remove the bill boards. They had to adopt the old-system of announcing the destination and route in loud voice in order to attract the attention of waiting commuters.
