There is no clarity on whether police personnel can travel without a ticket in government buses within their respective districts.
In his reply to the demand for grants to the Police Department for 2021-2022 in the Assembly, the Chief Minister had announced that police personnel can travel for free on government buses within their districts. However, it had not been implemented.
Following the announcement, the then Additional Chief Secretary (Home), S.K. Prabhakar, wrote to the then Director-General of Police/Head of Police Force, C. Sylendra Babu, seeking the issuance of smart identity cards to police personnel up to the rank of Inspector to enable them to avail themselves of free travel on government buses. “Since it has not been implemented, we face a lot of hardship while travelling by buses locally,” a policeman said.
Notably, the announcement was in response to an incident in the Chengalpattu bus stand on December 7, 2021, wherein a policeman had refused to buy a ticket and manhandled the conductor when he was asked to pay.
When the news of the incident spread, the transport crew stopped all buses from leaving the stand.
A retired senior police officer said that the system allowed for a bus warrant, which can be used to travel on government buses for free while on duty. “Obtaining a bus warrant is a tedious process. One will have to give the request in writing to the writer of the police station, and then the Sub-Inspector/Inspector will have to approve it. In the case of local buses, there is no such provision. On mutual understanding, the crew will allow the uniformed personnel to travel on such occasions.
He added that it is not practically possible for police personnel to get bus warrants all the time.
Published - May 23, 2024 12:32 am IST
