MLAs caught doling out bus passes on own letterheads
Offence Adds To Hitches Of Fraught MTC
Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com 14.03.2018
Chennai: Talk about trying to win friends and influence voters. Certain MLAs in Chennai having been adding to problems of financially stressed Metropolitan Transport Corporation by illegally distributing “bus passes” to members of the public.
The flagrant appropriation of the transport department’s powers by the MLAs — who have on personal letterheads been issuing “concessions” for travel on the state-run corporation’s buses, while falsely claiming the authority to do so — emerged during surprise checks by MTC officials in recent weeks.
“The MLAs endorsed these ‘passes’ or ‘concessions’ on their letterheads,” an official told TOI. “We discovered these violations when MTC officials, including managing director R Dhanulingam, conducted a series of inspections over the past three weeks.”
The inspections followed a sharp dip in footfalls, the official said. MTC issues bus passes for concessions of between 75% and 100% on the ticket price, mostly to blind and disabled commuters.
“Many conductors simply accept these illegal “passes” out of fear of the consequences of challenging the MLAs,” he said.
The commissionerate for the welfare of the differently-abled took up the issue with MTC. The transport corporation, in a written response, clarified that no provision exists for lawmakers to issue bus passes. Applicants should approach MTC officials if they need help regarding the passes, it said.
Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Caregivers agreed that the law permits only district medical boards to issue disability certificates that beneficiaries use to obtain bus passes.
“That MLAs are issuing the passes points to some fraud,” said S Namburajan, the association’s state secretary. “It is hard enough for the eligible to obtain and use them. MTC officials should take action against conductors who do not accept passes issued to the disabled and those who accompany the severely disabled.”
In a separate development, a senior official said various state transport corporations could increase premium services during the coming summer vacation. “We will take a decision on this matter after new buses join their fleets,” he said.
TNSTC, Villupuram, currently operates 10 premium service buses to Chennai and charges an additional Rs 30 per ticket above the normal fare.
Offence Adds To Hitches Of Fraught MTC
Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com 14.03.2018
Chennai: Talk about trying to win friends and influence voters. Certain MLAs in Chennai having been adding to problems of financially stressed Metropolitan Transport Corporation by illegally distributing “bus passes” to members of the public.
The flagrant appropriation of the transport department’s powers by the MLAs — who have on personal letterheads been issuing “concessions” for travel on the state-run corporation’s buses, while falsely claiming the authority to do so — emerged during surprise checks by MTC officials in recent weeks.
“The MLAs endorsed these ‘passes’ or ‘concessions’ on their letterheads,” an official told TOI. “We discovered these violations when MTC officials, including managing director R Dhanulingam, conducted a series of inspections over the past three weeks.”
The inspections followed a sharp dip in footfalls, the official said. MTC issues bus passes for concessions of between 75% and 100% on the ticket price, mostly to blind and disabled commuters.
“Many conductors simply accept these illegal “passes” out of fear of the consequences of challenging the MLAs,” he said.
The commissionerate for the welfare of the differently-abled took up the issue with MTC. The transport corporation, in a written response, clarified that no provision exists for lawmakers to issue bus passes. Applicants should approach MTC officials if they need help regarding the passes, it said.
Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Caregivers agreed that the law permits only district medical boards to issue disability certificates that beneficiaries use to obtain bus passes.
“That MLAs are issuing the passes points to some fraud,” said S Namburajan, the association’s state secretary. “It is hard enough for the eligible to obtain and use them. MTC officials should take action against conductors who do not accept passes issued to the disabled and those who accompany the severely disabled.”
In a separate development, a senior official said various state transport corporations could increase premium services during the coming summer vacation. “We will take a decision on this matter after new buses join their fleets,” he said.
TNSTC, Villupuram, currently operates 10 premium service buses to Chennai and charges an additional Rs 30 per ticket above the normal fare.
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