Traffic hit as sit-in protest by MTC workers turns violent

The assurance by the Transport Minister on Friday that the employees’ issues would be sorted out on December 27 did not cut any ice. The angry employees also pelted stones at the MTC buses and traffic came to a grinding halt on Anna Salai, EVR Periyar Road and Pallavan House Road around 5.30 in the evening.

Later, the union members, who met Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar on Friday afternoon, addressed the protesters and said that the transport department officials assured of holding talks with them on December 27 and 28 to sort out issues. However, the agitators raised slogans and staged a road blockade in the entire stretch of Pallavan House affecting the evening rush hour traffic. Buses were also stoned by them and chairs and flags in large number were hurled on the road. Top police officials rushed to the spot and pacified the protesting employees.

M Shanmugam, president of LPF, said, “Since the government has assured us of solving our issues on December 27 and 28, we will wait. We will again stage protest, if the government fails to do so.”

Later, Vijayabhaskar, citing the RK Nagar by-election, said, “We will sit and hold talks with the union members on December 27 and 28, after which I will bring the issue to the Chief Minister’s notice.”

However, in the melee, city commuters suffered a lot, as Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus services were partially suspended in the city on Friday due to the sit-in protest by transport employees near Pallavan House.

“When we held our first day sit-in protest on Thursday, no officials came to us and called for talks. This angered more employees, who decided to stay away from morning duty on Friday. Hoping that things might be positive on Friday, around 60 to 70 per cent of the buses were operated,” said a source. However, operation of buses was gradually reduced to around 40 per cent after 2 pm, as there was no development.

However, MTC officials maintained that they operated all the scheduled buses. “We have not suspended any MTC bus and passengers are not affected,” said V Krishnamurthy, Managing Director of MTC.