Tamil Nadu omni buses to Kerala halt services in protest against Rs 70 lakh fine

Chennai: In a move that is set to disrupt interstate travel and pilgrimage, the Tamil Nadu Omni Bus Owners Association has announced an indefinite strike, halting all services from Tamil Nadu to Kerala effective immediately. The decision comes as a strong protest against the Kerala transport department's recent enforcement actions, which included seizing 30 buses and imposing fines totaling a massive Rs. 70 lakh.

The trigger for the strike was a sudden enforcement drive by the Kerala state transport department. Officials seized 30 Tamil Nadu omni buses, alleging they were operating in violation of their permit conditions. Each bus was slapped with a fine of up to Rs. 2 lakh, cumulatively amounting to Rs. 70 lakh. A particularly contentious aspect of the action, according to bus operators, was that passengers were reportedly dropped off midway, causing them significant inconvenience. The bus owners have condemned these measures as unjust and disruptive.

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The timing of the strike is expected to cause major disruptions on multiple fronts. The strike coincides with the weekend, a period when many people, including students and professionals, travel between the two states. A significant number of students from Kerala study in colleges in cities like Coimbatore and Chennai, while many professionals work in Tamil Nadu's IT sector.

Furthermore, the strike begins just days before the start of the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu rely on omni buses for affordable and direct travel to the holy site. The suspension of services is anticipated to cause severe inconvenience to these pilgrims and create a significant transport shortage.

Facing substantial financial losses and operational hurdles, the Tamil Nadu Omni Bus Owners Association has announced the strike as a last resort. They have framed it as a protest against the Kerala government's actions, which they deem to be unfairly targeted. The association has urgently requested that both the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments intervene and hold talks to find a swift resolution to the issue. They have indicated that services will only resume once a mutually agreeable solution is reached, placing the onus on the state authorities to de-escalate the situation.