Chennai, Dec 25 (IANS): Tamil Nadu's Transport Department has released a draft gazette notification amending the state Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, pertaining to the responsibilities of bus conductors and drivers.

The amendments, according to Motor Vehicle department officials, will come into effect within 30 days of publishing the draft.

The draft was published on Thursday.

The transport department took this step after complaints are on the rise of people harassing women commuters with inappropriate behaviour and gestures. Till now the drivers and conductors of the buses were not empowered to act against such people who behave inappropriately towards women.

In addition to empowering the bus staff, the new amendment has brought in provisions preventing the bus staff from touching women under the guise of supporting them from boarding and alighting the bus.

There were several complaints against bus staff acting discriminately against women passengers with one such instance where a woman from Kanniyakumari selling fish was forced out of a bus citing that she felt a foul smell of fish.

In another incident, a driver and conductor of a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus were arrested on December 10 after a woman complained that she was molested in a late-night bus by the crew.

A senior official with the Transport Department told IANS: "There were no provisions earlier for the drivers and conductors of stage carriers(buses) to act against passengers who annoy other passengers, including women passengers with lewd gestures and behaviour. With the amendment of the Transport Act, they can now force such passengers out of the vehicle.

"In addition to empowering the bus staff, the amendment prevents the bus staff against inappropriate behaviour towards women."

The Department will initiate strict action against the conductor and driver of a bus if they are found behaving in an indecent manner towards women commuters.