They have the passes, but have to buy tickets

CHENNAI: A famous line by Vadivelu in a Tamil movie is ‘Irukku anna illa’ or ‘It is there, but not there’. This seems to sum up a problem faced every day by students who have just completed Class 9 or 11. The validity of the free bus pass is creating confusion among students and parents. The question of whether the pass should be accepted only for the period of validity mentioned on it creates a conflict between students and transport employees. Most schools run special coaching classes for students going into Classes 10 and 12 during the summer vacation and the problem arises when the students try to utilise their passes for the coaching classes because the passes show a validity up to April 30. While students expect the passes to be accepted up to the end of April, as mentioned on them, MTC conductors do not accept the free bus passes for special coaching classes. The MTC conductors, on condition of anonymity, said their orders were very clear – once the exams were over students were not to be allowed to travel on the free passes until new passes were issued to them. “That’s why we don’t pay attention to the period of validity on the passes,” they said.If we accept the passes on compassionate grounds the, the ticket checkers will  find us guilty during their surprise checks, and we will be issued memos and show cause notices. They also fine the students,” said the conductors. They claim they can’t do anything until the Transport Corporation issues a clear notification allowing students to use the passes for special coaching classes.One student, facing the problem every day, said, “Our Class 11 exams finished at the end of March. After a week our special classes for Class 12 started and these classes will go on till the third week of May. MTC issued free bus passes with a validity up to April end, but no conductor allows us to use them. Every day we end up spending `20 for our coaching classes. The government should do something about this.”Another student who has just completed Class 9 said she had to spend more than `25 on bus tickets to attend her special classes.Sanmugam, parent of a Class 12 student pointed out that new bus passes would be given to the students only in July. So for the two-month summer vacation  period parents of  students attending special classes spend a minimum of `20 every day. The government should look into the issue and make special arrangements for these students, he said.Paulraj, managing director of Metropolitan Transport Corporation, told Express over the phone, “We are ready to provide special bus passes for students who have to attend special classes, but the school should contact us and make a request in this regard. We will consider that and provide the passes. We have already sent a circular to the Education Department authorities, about providing special bus passes for coaching class students. We are ready to provide them if approached by the school authorities. School authorities should apply to us for the special free bus passes with the students’ particulars.” The ball is now in the court of the school authorities. The issuing authority is ready, provided the school authorities apply to it for the passes. Will the schools now take the necessary steps?