Private bus operators across Tamil Nadu, excluding Chennai, Madurai, Nagercoil and Udhagamandalam, will observe a 24-hour strike from midnight on September 29 to press for higher passenger fares and protest the proposed expansion of the state’s free travel scheme for women.
The strike, announced by the Federation of Bus Operators Association of Tamil Nadu, will continue until midnight on September 30. The action is expected to affect private bus services across much of the state, although the federation did not provide an estimate of the number of routes or passengers that could be affected.
The federation said around 7,000 private buses operate in Tamil Nadu. Its members are seeking a fare revision, citing a sharp increase in diesel and spare-parts costs since passenger fares were last revised in 2018. Diesel, which was priced at Rs 64 a litre when the previous revision took place, now costs more than Rs 100 a litre, according to the operators.
Federation president Thangaraj said private operators were running at losses of around 65 per cent and warned that the sector could become unviable if fares were not revised. The federation’s position places the state’s private bus network at the centre of a wider public transport funding dispute: operators say regulated fares have not kept pace with operating costs, while the government is expanding a concession that they say does not cover their services.
The operators have also objected to the planned expansion of the women’s free travel scheme, scheduled for October 2. They said state transport undertakings receive government subsidies to implement the scheme, but private bus operators are excluded from similar compensation.
The federation has asked the government to extend the free travel scheme to private buses and provide a subsidy to offset the cost. Thangaraj said the expansion, without compensation for private operators, would further weaken their financial position.
The dispute follows legal and administrative steps on fare revision. According to the federation, the Madras High Court directed the state government in March last year to seek the views of private bus operators and the public on a possible fare revision after a petition filed by a federation of private bus owners. The operators allege that no further action has been taken since that direction.
The issue highlights the separate financial arrangements under which public and private bus services operate in the state. State transport undertakings receive government support to implement the free travel initiative, while private operators say they must continue providing services under fare structures that they consider inadequate to meet current fuel and maintenance costs.
For passengers, the immediate impact will depend on the extent of private bus participation in each district and the availability of state-run alternatives. The announced exemptions mean that services in Chennai, Madurai, Nagercoil and Udhagamandalam will not be part of the strike, according to the federation.
The operators’ next stated action is the 24-hour stoppage beginning at midnight on September 29. Their demands are a revision of passenger fares and financial compensation if the expanded free travel scheme is extended to private buses.
