Tamil Nadu’s private bus operators have announced a 24-hour strike from midnight on September 29 to midnight on September 30, protesting the state government’s decision to expand free bus travel for women to more categories of government-operated services.
The Federation of the Private Bus Owners’ Associations announced the stoppage on Monday, according to the Times of India. The decision was taken in Namakkal and will cover private buses across Tamil Nadu, a move expected to disrupt daily travel for commuters who depend on private services alongside state-run buses.
The dispute centres on the expansion of the free travel scheme, which was initially introduced on city buses. From October 2, the benefit is set to cover additional categories of government buses, including express, limited-stop and deluxe services. Private operators say the change could draw passengers away from their services and reduce the ticket revenue on which their operations depend.
Jothi Kuppusamy, president of the Namakkal District Private Bus Owners Association, told the Times of India that the strike was intended to highlight the financial impact of the scheme on private operators. “We want the public to understand the losses we face and draw the attention of the Tamil Nadu govt to our plight. The free travel plan may benefit women passengers, but it will cripple private bus services that depend on daily ticket revenue,” he said.
Private bus owners have argued that the extension could sharply reduce passenger numbers on their routes. They have also raised concerns about the incomes of drivers and conductors if ticket collections fall. The federation has demanded compensation comparable to the support provided to state-run transport corporations, or alternative measures to protect private bus operators and their workers.
The planned stoppage highlights the operational tension created when a public transport benefit is implemented through government-run services in a network that also relies on privately operated buses. While the scheme is intended to widen access to free travel for women, private operators say they have not been offered a comparable mechanism to offset the possible loss of revenue.
The federation has said the strike will last one day but warned that further action could follow if the Tamil Nadu government does not respond to its demands. Commuters are expected to face difficulties during the stoppage, with the impact depending on the availability and capacity of state-run services on affected routes.
The next immediate milestones are the 24-hour strike beginning at midnight on September 29 and the scheduled extension of the free travel scheme to express, limited-stop and deluxe government buses from October 2.
