Autos to stay off the roads Tuesday

CHENNAI: The nationwide strike called by major trade unions on Tuesday is unlikely to affect Tamil Nadu’s transport sector as authorities promise that buses will ply as usual. But autorickshaws and share autos are expected to be off the road. The strike is being called to protest issues arising out of the liberalisation policy. A senior official with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation said that necessary steps had been taken to ensure that the 3,200 buses in the city ply without any disruption on Tuesday. “We are deputing a special officer to assist branch managers at bus depots in the event of any crisis,” the official said. An official with the State Transport Corporation said that there would not be any hurdles in operations. Echoing the officials’ views, a leader of a trade union which is participating in the strike said, “Even if 50 per cent of transport staff go on strike, the administration will be able operate all the buses. They will utilise the services of standby labourers and also of those who are not under payroll.”But, the operation of auto rickshaws, share autos and Tata Magic carriers will be hit, as most of the drivers are affiliated to the Left parties and the Labour Progressive Front of DMK. J Seshasinam, general secretary, TN AITUC Auto Drivers Federation, said that drivers had been asked to keep off the road. “The 1,700 Tata Magic vehicles in Chennai will not be operational,” he stressed. The CITU is distributing one lakh pamphlets in Chennai telling people not to utilise bus services on Tuesday.