Poor condition of TNSTC buses poses threat to passengers in Tiruchi 

Many buses, particularly the suburban buses, in Tiruchi have torn and damaged seats, rusted window rails, cracked roofs, and damaged floors.   | Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY

Poor maintenance of buses operated by the Tamil Nadu State Transportation Corporation (TNSTC) in the city has raised safety concerns, especially after a conductor fell from a moving bus along with the seat in Tiruchi recently.

On Tuesday, the conductor of a bus plying between Srirangam and K.K. Nagar fell on the road along with the damaged seat when the bus was taking a turn on McDonalds Road.

Following this, an enquiry has been launched against three officials, including a Manager attached to the Dheeran Nagar bus depot, for negligence in maintaining the buses. Following the incident, damaged seats were removed from some buses of the TNSTC.

The incident has triggered concern among passengers in the city. “Damaged footboards and cracked floors are a common sight in city buses, posing a threat to users. The authorities should ensure that the buses are maintained properly,” said S. Dakshinamoorthy, a resident of Kumaran Nagar.

In Tiruchi region, there are about 280 buses in five urban bus depots for city and suburban travel. Of these, only 25 are modern. More than 90% of city buses operated in the city are around 13 years old.

According to sources, buses that have completed nine years or have run for over 12 lakh km must be taken off the road. But TNSTC Tiruchi continues to operate dilapidated buses.

A large number of the buses, particularly the suburban buses, can be seen with damage like torn and damaged seats, rusted window rails, cracked roofs, and damaged floors. These dilapidated government buses pose a safety threat to passengers, especially senior citizens and children.

A TNSTC driver said most of the buses operated in the city are in bad shape, requiring immediate replacement.

“Most of the buses have crossed their shelf life, even repair work cannot be done,” he added.

‘Periodic checks done’

A senior TNSTC official said: “Minor repair works were being undertaken regularly whenever a complaint is raised. The replacement of spare parts is done immediately without any delay.”

The official claimed that periodic checks are being carried out on the maintenance of buses, including the replacement of broken doors, footboards, and seats, to ensure the safety of the passengers.