Chennai, Aug 26 (IANS) Women in several districts of Tamil Nadu have lodged complaints with the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation(TNSTC) authorities over the indecent behaviour of bus conductors and drivers of the corporation.

The state government of M.K. Stalin has announced free bus travel for women in Tamil Nadu.

Sudhakumari, a private factory employee who had to shell out Rs 35 per day for the bus travel in Trichy, told IANS, "I get a salary of Rs 6,500 and of this I had to spend around Rs 2,000 on my bus travel alone. After the state government announced the free ride for women in State transport corporation buses, I was overjoyed. However, the bus workers insult me day in and day out. They shower abuses and ask whether I am a queen to travel for free. They stop the bus 40 to 50 m in front of the bus stop and I have to run to get into the bus. Still, I am happy that I can save this much money by the decision of the state government." She said that she had lodged a complaint with TNSTC and is awaiting a response.

However, the transpeople said that they have not had such an experience from the bus employees of the state government. Transwomen are also entitled to free travel in state-run bus services.

Kalki Subramaniam, transactivist and writer, told IANS, "So far I haven't got any information that our people are being targeted in the buses or insulted as they are travelling for free following the government order. I haven't received any such complaints till now."

While the leader of the trans women community said that no complaints on insults have not yet come to their notice, the general women public have raised serious allegations against the bus employees.

Muthulakshmi, an employee of a garment factory in Erode while speaking to IANS said, "I have experienced rude behaviour from the State road transport corporation employees. They stop the bus either in front of the bus stop or far away from the stop. Either way, we have to run to catch the bus. But we are getting a free ride, courtesy our Chief Minister and the government but the bus employees insult us regularly and tell us that for joy rides we have to run to catch the bus. This is, however, a great solace as the amount I used to spend regularly for transport has now come down to naught."

Women passengers who take the state road transport in other parts of Tamil Nadu also expressed similar issues. However, most of the women passengers in Chennai said that they did not face any issues from the bus drivers or conductors for that matter.

A top official with the TNSTC told IANS that the department is aware of the issue and that it had even suspended some officials on the issue. He also said that many of them are being given training programmes on behaviour.

While speaking on condition of anonymity the senior official said, "TNSTC has knowledge on this and we are trying our best to correct these people. We have suspended some of them and have sent them for training in behaviour. This behaviour will change in the coming days and we profusely apologize to women for this."