Overhaul TN transport department, prioritise needs of passengers: BJP urges CM Stalin

Chennai, July 7 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a scathing attack on the ruling DMK government, accusing it of gross mismanagement of the state’s transportation system and demanding urgent intervention by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. The BJP called for a complete overhaul of the transport department and demanded that passenger needs be prioritised over profits

In a statement issued on Monday, BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad alleged that the state’s transportation department has become a source of public misery rather than a service for the people.

“The system is collapsing due to administrative paralysis. The government’s failure to address staffing shortages and route mismanagement is hurting daily commuters across Tamil Nadu,” Prasad claimed.

He pointed to the long-pending recruitment of drivers and conductors as a key issue.

Although the government had issued an order last year to fill 2,877 vacancies in eight state-run transport corporations, recruitment has been repeatedly delayed.

In March, it was announced that applications would be invited for 3,274 vacancies, but the process remains incomplete.

“There are serious allegations that DMK functionaries have been collecting bribes in return for jobs. If true, this is a betrayal of public trust,” Prasad claimed.

He called on CM Stalin and Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar to clarify the status of the recruitment and ensure a transparent process.

The BJP also criticised the government for cutting down on free bus services for women while increasing fares, alleging it was an attempt to profit at the public’s expense.

“Women who once relied on these free services are now forced to pay more or walk long distances due to reduced frequency,” he added.

The statement highlighted poor bus service management in Chennai and its suburbs, especially after 9 P.M., leaving many passengers stranded.

“Even in the Chief Minister’s own Kolathur constituency, depots like Periyar Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar are struggling due to limited services,” the senior BJP leader said.

On Sundays, the situation worsens, with approximately 150 buses taken off the roads. The BJP dismissed the government’s reasoning of ‘lower passenger traffic’ as unacceptable.

“The city operates over 3,200 buses, but irregular schedules and poor planning mean buses arrive in clusters, followed by long waits. The public is fed up,” Prasad said.

The BJP called for a complete overhaul of the transport department and demanded that passenger needs be prioritised over profits.

“The DMK government’s neglect has reached intolerable levels. The people of Tamil Nadu deserve better,” the statement concluded.

--IANS

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