TNSTC to recruit more drivers, conductors, says Sivasankar

Coimbatore: Recruitment of drivers and conductors for the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) will begin in a few months, transport minister S S Sivasankar said in the city on Friday.“The chief minister has issued orders for recruitment drives in the Kumbakonam corporation and the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC). After completing recruitment there, recruitment in other corporations will begin. Recruitment was not carried out for five years during the AIADMK rule,” the minister said after inaugurating GPS-based bus stop announcement system in 65 town buses.Sivasankar later inaugurated air-conditioned retiring rooms for TNSTC employees in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode, and also handed over 145.58 crore to 518 retired employees and kin of deceased employees.The minister said the Union government should issue guidance to regulate bike taxis. “Bikes are meant for private use and have not been recognized as commercial vehicles. As far as the Tamil Nadu government is concerned, bike taxis should not be operated. Police are taking action against them,” he said.The state government has allocated funds to purchase 2,000 new buses. “Also, 2,400 buses will be purchased with the help of a German agency. Tenders will be floated soon. The buses will be procured in four to six months,” the minister said.Automated ticketing machines will be introduced in Chennai on a pilot basis, the minister said. “Pensioners of transport corporations have been demanding more dearness allowance. The chief minister has been fulfilling all his poll promises, despite financial constraints and the Covid-19 impact. He will also meet the pensioners’ demand.”Electricity minister Senthil Balaji, mayor Kalpana Anandakumar and collector Kranti Kumar Pati accompanied the minister.