Accident compensation: Three TNSTC buses ( coming under VETTRI PAYANAM ) seized at Mattutavani Busstand by court order
The action affected route 3C, linking Periyar bus stand with Mattuthavani via Anna Nagar, and route 700 between Kochadai and Mattuthavani. Madurai : Barely days into the expanded Vettri Payanam scheme allowing free travel for women, Madurai’s city bus system is showing strain as the Tamil Nadu State Transport Coporation (TNSTC) struggles to keep operations funded. The impact is visible on the road: courts are taking buses out of service over unpaid accident awards, while inadequate maintenance spending is contributing to breakdowns and stranded passengers. The vehicles were locked in depots and cannot return to service until the next hearing in two weeks.
Three buses earmarked for Vettri Payanam services were seized on Tuesday after TNSTC Madurai failed to clear compensation awarded to victims in two cases.
Jafar Sadiq and wife Yasmeen, returning from Meenakshi Mission Hospital towards Mattuthavani, were hit by a govt bus in 2022 and awarded Rs14 lakh and Rs2.5 lakh respectively. Subramani, 60, injured in another govt bus accident that year, received an Rs6 lakh court award. After TNSTC failed to comply with 2025 payment orders, execution petitions followed, with an MCOP court directing bus attachments about two weeks ago. An RTI reply showed the corporation used money from the corpus during 2020 and 2021 for diesel, lubricants and vehicle operations, even as unpaid awards continued reaching courts.
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Repairs and replacement of spares are getting delayed, and even quality lubricants are difficult to procure,” a TNSTC employee said. Passengers in Thirumangalam said shortages were most visible between 7am and 9am, when students and workers depend on services to Mattuthavani and Arapalayam. “Many buses are connecting rural areas but not transit hubs in the Madurai city,” Pandiammal, a passenger, said.
The seizures follow criticism over TNSTC Madurai’s use of a passenger cess created to meet accident compensation liabilities. The same financial stress is surfacing in fleet upkeep, where faults can remove vehicles from tightly stretched schedules. “Funds for maintenance are inadequate. TNSTC Madurai managing director Saravanan could not be reached for comment despite attempts. Download the TOI App.
Passengers on route 21F from Periyar bus stand to Pudhukulam were stranded on Monday after a Vettri Payanam bus stopped near PP Chavadi on Theni Road.