22 women appointed as TNSTC bus conductors in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: Twenty-two women were appointed as bus conductors in Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), Coimbatore division, on Saturday under compassionate grounds.

Appointment orders were handed over by transport minister S S Sivasankar at an event held at the TNSTC branch in Sungam, Coimbatore.

In total, appointment orders were issued to 44 heirs of deceased TNSTC employees, including two for driver positions, 41 for conductor posts, of which 22 were women, and one for a technical staff role.

The minister flagged off 13 new buses for the TNSTC Coimbatore division on the occasion.

Speaking at the event, Sivasankar said around 1,000 people across the state were given employment under compassionate grounds. “In particular, many women were appointed as conductors, which is a significant change,” he said.

He noted that some woman candidates did not meet the minimum height requirement for the conductor post. “This issue was brought to the notice of the chief minister, and the height requirement was reduced by 10 cm to provide opportunities for women,” he said.

Regarding the induction of new buses, the minister said 317 new buses were procured for Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (Coimbatore) Ltd over the past two financial years.

“For the 2024–2025 financial year, 327 new buses have been allotted, of which 13 were launched on Saturday. All remaining buses will be rolled out before July,” he said.

Addressing the concerns about privatisation, he said, “Some time ago, we recruited temporary workers to manage operations temporarily. During that time, rumours spread that the transport corporation would be privatised. However, the chief minister has assured that this department will continue to function as a public sector undertaking. The new buses and ongoing recruitment are proof of that. We recruited 685 people for the State Express Transport Corporation, and another 2,700 will be hired for other transport corporations.”

To the new appointees, he said, “Generally, to secure a govt job, one must pass a written examination. However, under compassionate grounds, you were given this opportunity. This is a privilege — serve the public with dedication.”

S Revathi from Tirupur, who lost her husband, said, “After his death, I struggled to raise my children. I thank the minister and the chief minister for this opportunity. Though there are challenges in the conductor job, I am confident I will succeed.”

Swetha of Pollachi, whose father passed away while in service 11 years ago, said, “This job will help me uplift my family and bring stability to our lives.”