Chennai, 29 Sept (H.S.):Private buses across Tamil Nadu will operate as usual on Wednesday after their owners' association called off a one-day strike planned over the state government's expansion of free bus travel for women.

The Tamil Nadu Private Bus Owners' Association said it had contacted the revenue and transport ministers, who assured its representatives that their main demands would be considered. The association had planned to halt services from midnight on Tuesday until midnight on Wednesday.

The dispute follows Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's announcement in the Assembly that the existing free travel scheme for women, known as Sthree Yathra, would be expanded from October 2 under the name Vetri Payanam. The expansion will allow women to travel free on express, LSS, deluxe and suburban ordinary government buses in metropolitan and urban areas. Free inter-district travel on ordinary government buses was also announced.

At a press conference in Chennai's Chepauk on Monday, association president K. Thangaraj and general secretary D.R. Dharmaraj said the expanded scheme could draw passengers away from private buses and make some services difficult to sustain. They said the industry supports about three lakh families.

The association wants the government to permit free travel for women, transgender people and persons with disabilities on private buses as well, with a subsidy to compensate operators. It has also sought an increase in bus fares. The government already compensates state transport corporations for travel provided under the free fare scheme, the association said.

In its statement withdrawing the strike, the association thanked the media for bringing its demands to public attention. It said the ministers' assurance had prompted it to defer the protest and confirmed that private buses would run on their regular schedules on Wednesday.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman