Surat: In an effort to curb the menace of transgenders dressed as eunuchs illegally boarding buses and allegedly harassing passengers, the Surat divisional office of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has issued a circular directing that transgender persons should not be allowed to illegally board ST buses near the Choryasi toll plaza. The order also warns drivers and conductors of strict responsibility if the instructions are not followed.

According to the circular, several complaints have been received over the past few years regarding incidents occurring near the Choryasi toll plaza. It has been reported that whenever buses slow down or halt near the toll point, a group of transgenders boards the buses and demands money from passengers. In some cases, arguments allegedly occur when passengers refuse to pay, and a few complaints have also mentioned incidents of misbehavior and scuffles.

Taking the matter seriously, the Surat Divisional Director has issued written instructions to all concerned divisional offices, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bharuch and Rajkot, informing them about the issue and directing them to ensure strict compliance.

The circular states that clear instructions must be given to drivers and conductors of both local and express buses. The directions must be recorded in the duty register with signatures of staff members to ensure accountability and to prevent negligence.

The order further states that under no circumstances should any unauthorized person be allowed to board buses at the Choryasi toll plaza. If any untoward incident takes place after allowing such entry, the responsibility will lie with the driver and conductor on duty.

Officials said that the move is expected to help control a long-standing problem faced by daily commuters on routes passing through the toll plaza. However, the effectiveness of the order will depend on how strictly the instructions are implemented at the ground level. DeshGujarat