Tamil Nadu: Drivers, Bus Conductors Can Now Kick Out Passengers For Inappropriate Behaviour

The Tamil Nadu transport department has empowered the drivers and conductors to kick out passengers who sing or make inappropriate gestures towards women commuters. The move has been initiated owing to the rising cases of harassment against women in public transport.

The home transport department released a draft gazette notification on Thursday, December 23, amending the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 concerning sections 28 and 38 of the Motor Vehicle Act 1988 on the responsibilities of the driver and conductor. The amendments will come into force within a month from the date of draft publication.

Till now, there was no provision to act against unruly passengers who annoy other commuters, especially women. Now, motor vehicles provisions under the responsibilities of conductors and drivers of buses have been amended, enhancing their powers to regulate occupants' behaviour. This will ensure the smooth operation of the bus," a senior transport official said, according to The New Indian Express.

Bus Crew Restricted From Questioning Or Touching Women

In addition, the amendment restricted the bus crew from questioning or touching women commuters. "The bus crew is not liable to make any physical contact or touch women travellers under the pretext of assisting them in boarding or deboarding. The bus driver or conductor shall not behave annoyingly to women travellers," the notification read.

The regulations come in the wake of recent incidents and repeated complaints from females that they were humiliated by the bus crew on a regular basis while travelling, where they are allowed to travel free of cost.

Earlier this month, on December 7, an elderly fisherwoman in Kanniyakumari was deboarded from a government bus as she smelled of fish. Similarly, a family from Narikurava had also faced discrimination at the hands of the bus crew. On December 10, police arrested the driver and conductor of a TNSTC bus in Villupuram for attempting to molest a woman.

As per the official, the driver and conductor are now bound to adhere to these regulations. Any deviations will be considered dereliction of duty, which could lead to departmental action.

"What is the need for amending the rules to punish the driver or conductor while regulatory guidelines were already in force? In ordinary buses, female passengers are reluctant to purchase price-less tickets, leading to an argument sometimes. In such cases, conductors issued a memo for causing loss to transport corporations," said General Secretary of Transport Employees Federation Arumuga Nainar, affiliated to the CITU.

The transport employees association will study the amendments in detail and represent it to the state government, Nainar added.

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