75 per cent fare concession denied to disabled on point-to-point bus

CHENNAI: A disabled person was allegedly charged half the ticket cost in a point-to-point bus instead of being charged only 25 per cent of the fare. This comes even as the State transport secretary on August 10 directed transport corporations to ensure 75 per cent concession is given to PwDs (People with Disabilities)  in conductorless buses.

S Annamalai, orthopedically challenged and visually impaired, boarded a point-to-point bus bound for Chennai at Villupuram new bus-stand on Saturday. He produced his disability certificate and requested 75 per cent concession for his ticket.

However, Annamalai was asked to pay Rs 80, more than half the price of Rs 150. When raised an issue over the concession, he was allegedly informed by the conductor that he (latter) only had paper tickets in the denomination of Rs 80 and above.

While Annamalai was allowed to travel in the point-to-point service after paying `80, he told Express that one of his colleagues was not allowed to avail the service at all.

“Annamalai is the general secretary of an organisation which fights for disability rights and he isn’t able to avail the provision. Imagine the condition of PwDs who don’t have a voice,” said TNM Deepak, State president of the December 3 Iyakkam.

When contacted, an official of TNSTC, Villupuram said that they would issue instructions to provide the paper tickets in the lesser denominations.