70K leave Chennai in 2 days ahead of stringent lockdown

Transport Minister RS Raja Kannappan said that 1,331 government buses were operated in two days from Chennai and more than 65,000 passengers left the city as of Sunday 6 pm. Meanwhile, close to 5,000 buses were operated across the city including Chennai and around 6 lakh passengers utilised the service.

Raja Kannappan also visited the Koyambedu bus stand and inspected the operation of the buses on Sunday night.

“As the last buses are leaving their respective cities at 11.45 pm, we expect more than 7 lakh passengers would have used the buses across the State,” an official said.

Meanwhile, more than 2.05 lakh passengers left from Chennai on May 8 and May 9, when the buses were operated prior to the enforcement of complete lockdown from May 10.

Apart from 5,000 government buses, private bus owners also operated their services. Despite the standing passengers being allowed on most of the buses, social distancing norms were violated when passengers boarded and alighted the buses.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations Employees Federation (AITUC) urged the government to include the transport employees in the frontline workers category as employees are working in the pandemic.

The federation also requested the State to ensure benefits to the transport workers which are being provided to the frontline workers.