Chennai: Transport Body Suspends Bus Conductor For Misbehaving With Woman Passenger

The official also warned that disciplinary action would be taken against the employees misbehaving with the passengers.

Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses

Chennai: A bus conductor of route 28A, K Sivasudan, was suspended on a temporary basis for insulting a woman passenger and threatening to assault her recently. 

In a release, Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) managing director A Anbu Abraham ordered the officials to take disciplinary action against the conductor by temporarily suspending him. He also advised the workers to behave with respect. 

The official also warned that disciplinary action would be taken against the employees misbehaving with the passengers.

On January 19, women passengers were travelling on a government bus between Chennai Central and Ennore. One of the passengers, Sangeetha (32) of Tsunami Quarters, Ernavoor reportedly boarded the 28A bus. She then asked the conductor for a ticket but he denied to provide the tickets and said that he would not give tickets to those who travel for free. 

The conductor also replied derogatorily and threatened to assault her. Following this, the woman filed a complaint at New Washermanpet police station.

Meanwhile, a video of the incident also went viral on social media. Further investigations are on. 

Last year, four women in Tamil Nadu's Erode district refused to travel free in the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses, complaining that the buses regularly skip the designated bus stops and the staff behaved rudely with them. The women, after boarding a bus on the Erode-Perundurai route, demanded the bus conductor issue them tickets after accepting the fare, saying that they don't want a free ride, as per the the video.

The women alighted from the bus after the conductor refused to issue the tickets. Following the video going viral, the TNSTC has ordered an investigation in the incident.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu government permitted women to travel for free on government buses. The buses painted in pink would accommodate women who can travel with a different ticket without paying any money. 

(With IANS inputs)