Tamil Nadu: Poor bus service forces government staff to travel 170km on bike to office

CHENNAI: More than 60 employees working at the secretariat, the seat of administration in Fort St George , have been coming to work on two-wheelers from Tindivanam (139km) and Villupuram (169km) as the state transport buses are being operated only up to Chengalpet .

On Monday, N Saravanan , working in the higher education department at the secretariat, came to office from Tindivanam riding pillion on his son's bike.

Another employee M Raman too came to the secretariat on a bike from Villupuram. They say 60 other colleagues too travelled similarly. They have petitioned senior officials of the transport department to make available public transport.

Saravanan said his son waited until evening to take him back home. "Today, my son dropped me at Chengalpet from where I took the government transport," said Saravanan. The distance between Chengalpet and Tindivanam is 66km.

On normal days, Raman and Saravanan and thousands of others used to take train at Villupuram and Tindivanam. They got down at Egmore or Fort Station to reach their destination.

Officials from Tindivanam and Villupuram have requested transport minister M Vijayabaskar and officials to arrange special buses from Tindivanam and Villupuram to the secretariat.