Covid norms violation: Crowd swells on buses as Rlys puts vax rider on EMU passengers

With Southern Railway making double vaccination mandatory to travel in suburban trains, MTC buses plying along the local train routes have become more crowded leading to violation of COVID norms. This has prompted passengers at Tambaram and Avadi to urge the MTC operate additional buses during peak hours to reduce crowds.

Buses plying along GST Road parallel to Beach-Chengalpattu railway line (Tambaram, Vandalur and Guduvanchery) and MTH Road parallel to Central-Tiruvallur line (Avadi and Ambattur) were crowded, said MTC sources. The stringent railway rules have forced many passengers board buses to reach their workplaces and this has led to overcrowding.

All the buses plying from Avadi and Ambattur OT during peak hours are packed with complete disregard for social distancing norms. For people living along MTH road, the train service is the lifeline. “The train service is not only cheap but also a faster mode of transport. Since the entire stretch is dotted with industries, the buses always remain crowded. In the absence of train service, the crowd is even more, ” said Shanmughanathan, a resident of Pattabiram.

Following the third wave, the State government restricted travel in buses to 50 per cent of its seating capacity initially but it later allowed up to 75 per cent of passengers to travel. But, now, the capacity has even exceeded 100%.

A bus conductor at Tambaram said that it was impossible to restrict passengers to 75 per cent of the seating capacity. “With train passengers now travelling on buses, they are getting overcrowded. The government should intervene and remove restrictions on local trains to reduce crowds in buses, “ he said.