Latest news with #K.Kathirmathiyon
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Excess fare: warrants issued against MD of TNSTC, Coimbatore, and RTO, Coimbatore North
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Coimbatore, has issued warrants against the Managing Director, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Coimbatore, and the Regional Transport officer, Coimbatore North, for failure to comply with an order passed on February 15, 2018, in a case of collection of excess fare lodged by Coimbatore Consumer Cause. An execution petition filed by K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary, Coimbatore Consumer Cause, during November 2023, cited the dismissal of an appeal made against the order by the State Consumer Commission and also a review petition in 2023. During 2018, three years after he had filed a case before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Coimbatore, the complainant was refunded the excess fare of ₹6 charged from him for to and fro travel between Vadavalli and Railway Station, along with ₹6,500 towards legal expenses. The petitioner had called for deposit of the excess fare collected during the three-year period in the Chief Minister Relief Fund. The TNSTC, Coimbatore, and the Regional Transport Officer, Coimbatore North, had paid the costs and the TNSTC, Coimbatore, had also deposited the fine of ₹ 10,000 along with interest at 9% for three years amounting to ₹ 7,532 to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund. A copy of the order was sent to the Chief Secretary and to the Transport Commissioner of Tamilnadu Government to stop such excess collection. However, the TNSTC had claimed that the details of collection from 2015 to 2018 had been destroyed, and, hence, could not file the statement of excess collection. The Hon'ble Commission had, in its verdict cited the Government Rule mandating all the State Transport Corporations to preserve money value documents at least for a minimum period of 8 years as stipulated in the Companies Act 1956. The TNSTC, Coimbatore, had violated the Rule and the order of this Commission, Mr. Kathirmathiyon had contended in his executive petition. The bailable warrants were issued under Section 72 of Consumer Protection Act 2019.
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Commuters urge Coimbatore Corporation to provide bus shelters at all stops in the city
Commuters, who rely on public transport in the city have urged the Coimbatore Corporation to install shelters at all the bus stops, stating that waiting under the scorching sun is difficult, especially for elderly people and children. According to sources in the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, there are over 450 bus stops within the Corporation limits. Several of these do not have shelters. 'There are many bus stops on Selvapuram Road without shelters. Standing under the hot sun is difficult, especially for elderly people and children,' said P. Thangamani, a commuter. K. Kathirmathiyon, a civic activist, said, 'The Corporation seems to favour advertisers. In many places, additional bus shelters have been erected to increase advertisement space, even though permission has been granted for only one shelter. The Corporation can remove these extra structures and shift them to places that do not have shelters. This would benefit the public and reduce costs. Even in front of the railway station, there are no shelters, though large crowds gather there with luggage. In the past, there have been instances where former District Collectors directed the Corporation to remove such excess shelters and relocate them. New shelters could then be erected, if necessary.' According to Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran, around 150 new bus shelters are planned to be installed at various stops under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. The project is estimated to cost ₹12 crore and will be funded through a combination of Corporation general funds and private investment. Currently, the project is in the tendering stage. In the meantime, to address immediate needs due to the summer heat, temporary arrangements such as installing green shade nets at bus stops lacking shelters will be considered, based on public requests..
