CHENNAI: A civic activist has once again raised concerns over the collection of express fares on ordinary mofussil buses operating on Route 197 between Kanakammachatram and Tiruvallur. They alleged that passengers have been charged Rs 20 instead of the prescribed ordinary fare of Rs 15 for the 23-km journey for the past month.

Activist Senthil said that Route 197 buses operate as ordinary services between Tiruvallur and Tiruttani via Kanakammachatram. Earlier, conductors collected express fares without mentioning the service classification on tickets.

However, following the expansion of the Vidiyal Payanam Thittam, which provides free bus travel for women, the buses were officially classified as ordinary services. “For nearly eight years, passengers on routes such as 97 and 197 were charged Rs 20 instead of the prescribed ordinary fare of Rs 15. Though Route 197 is now officially an ordinary service, with women allowed to travel free, conductors resumed collecting Rs 20 after a month. Tickets now clearly mention ‘mofussil ordinary’,” Senthil alleged, and accused the transport corporation of passing on the cost of free travel for women to men by collecting higher fares.

When contacted, an official of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (Villupuram) Tiruvallur division denied the allegation, saying the correct fares had been collected since the first week of October. “We’ve been collecting the prescribed fares from passengers since the first week of October. If any conductor is found collecting excess fares, strict action will be taken,” the official said.