Senior citizens try to use free bus tokens before scheme implementation

A conductor of an MTC bus had to politely request senior citizens who tried to take a free ride as the tokens that allow senior citizens over the age of 60 to travel free of cost were valid only from March 1. 

It may be recalled that Jayalalithaa announced that senior citizens could submit downloaded application forms from the MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation) website to specific depots and thereby get 10 tokens per month each. 

However, the conductor on Friday was surprised to see that most of the elderly had more than 10 tokens, a sign that the corporation’s depots had issued more than the stipulated number. 

This problem was due to the fact that most senior citizens did not realise it was clearly announced that the tokens were valid only from March 1. MTC sources said that more than 2 lakh applications were received and that the government had ordered issue of tokens for four months (40 tokens) at a stretch to prevent the elderly from making frequent trips to depots. 

However, the tokens had different colours for each month and hence once a month’s tokens were used, beneficiaries had to wait for a new month before using tokens again. 

Also beneficiaries wanted to know why they were issued the Rs.50 pass which made them eligible to travel in any non-AC bus anywhere throughout the month. That the government had the welfare of the elderly in mind was seen from the extended hours of the 45 token issuing centres which functioned between 8.30 am to 1 pm and from 2.30 pm to 7 pm as against normal token issuing hours of 8.30 am to 11 am and between 3 pm to 7 pm. 

It may be recalled that the state government allowed free travel in all buses for four days during the height of the Chennai floods a couple of months ago. Though it was claimed that the ruling party had made good all its election promises, the party’s 2011 election manifesto only mentions that all citizens above 58 years would be given free bus passes. There was no mention of issue of limited number of tokens.