Dhinakaran condemns transport dept. for failing to ‘rein in’ omni buses operators

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Monday condemned the State Transport Department for having failed to “rein in” operators of omni buses from charging exorbitant fares from passengers during the ongoing Pongal festival season.

In a post on his social media handle, Mr Dhinakaran said the passengers were shocked to learn a manifold increase in the fares. Instead of the normal charge of ₹700, the operators were collecting ₹3,000 from Madurai-bound passengers from Chennai. Likewise, against the usual fare of ₹1,000 for Coimbatore and ₹1,400 for Tirunelveli, the charges being levied were ₹ 3,500 and ₹ 4,000 respectively. This had become a “customary feature” during every festival season, Mr. Dhinakaran pointed out, calling for measures to be taken by the State government and its Transport department against such operators.

In another post, the AMMK leader referred to reports of rice drawing ration card holders being turned away at fair price shops without being given the Pongal gift hampers announced by the State government on account of delay in getting biometric verification done and shortage of man power. He urged the government to ensure that all the eligible cardholders were supplied the Pongal gift hamper.