Man With Disabilities Stopped From Boarding MTC Bus In Chennai

The disabled man, Alexandar also said that there had been similar instances even during his previous journeys where MTC bus conductors forced him out of the bus even after he boarded it.

A bus depot (File Photo)

Chennai: A 76-year-old man with disabilities, A Alexander, was stopped by Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus crew from taking the bus at Chepet on Friday. The bus conductor allegedly denied his entry into the bus by claiming that his wheelchair would occupy the space that could be used by four other passengers. 

According to a report on Times of India, Alexander was waiting for a bus at Chetpet bus stop at 9 am on Friday. He was waiting for a 29C bus (Perambur to Besant Nagar) to reach Adyar to get his wheelchair repaired. 

Initially, two buses arrived within a quarter interval but both of them were congested so he continued to wait for a bus without much congestion. Later, a relatively free bus reportedly arrived and he moved near the bus but was stopped by the conductor. 

Alexandar said, the conductor told me that he could accommodate four others in the place of the wheelchair and even though I tried to explain to him that the wheelchair could be folded the conductor said that he wouldn't let me in since I did not have any helper to carry me. He then alerted the driver to take off the bus. 

There had been similar instances even during my previous journeys where MTC bus conductors forced me out after boarding the bus, he said. 

Alexandar also said that he lives alone after his wife's demise and he is dependent only on the government's monthly pension of Rs 1,000 so he cannot afford to travel in autos. 

Talking to TOI, MTC Managing Director Anbu Abraham promised to take action against the bus conductor and driver.