Public transport, ride bookings hit on polling day

Trichy commuters faced severe transportation woes on polling day as the city's public mobility system came to a near standstill. Most govt city buses stayed off roads after being diverted for mofussil and election-related transport duties, while app-based aggregator transport options remained largely unavailable.Private buses were insufficient and ran packed. The reduced services left thousands of daily commuters, including women, patients, students, and senior citizens struggling to reach their destinations. Taking advantage of the situation, many autorickshaw drivers sharply increased fares by Rs40 to Rs80 per trip. Passengers reported arbitrary demands and refusal to ply short distances."I waited at Marakkadai bus stop over 45 minutes for a city bus that never came. When I hired an auto, the driver charged Rs80 extra for a usual Rs120 ride," said Ambujam, a 50-year-old homemaker from Srirangam. Bike taxi services like Rapido were equally hit. This led to longer waiting time and surge pricing on aggregator apps. "Many of us went to our native places to vote. Others were engaged in polling booth duties and vote canvassing for various parties," said Syed Shaikh, a 35-year-old bike taxi driver."The govt should have planned better for city transport while facilitating voter movement," said Kathiravan, 32, who works in a private firm near Thillai Nagar. Residents expressed frustration over the sudden collapse of routine transport. Long queues formed at bus stops, with many people eventually opting for expensive alternatives or walking considerable distances.In a few areas, angry commuters took to protests. At TVS Tollgate, a group of passengers blocked traffic briefly, demanding immediate restoration of bus services and action against overcharging auto drivers. Transport department authorities maintained that buses were deployed to help voters reach their native places and polling stations efficiently. However, the diversion severely affected intra-city services in Trichy, one of the major urban centres in the state.