Bus Day puts brakes on Anna Salai traffic

CHENNAI: The banned ‘Bus Day’ celebrations reared their ugly head, after students of a city college ‘hijacked’ an MTC bus and went in a procession, choking traffic for nearly two hours on Anna Salai on Tuesday.According to sources, about 300-400 students of Government Arts College in Nandanam took control of MTC bus 23C, proceeding from Ayanavaram to Besant Nagar, after asking the passengers to alight near Spencer Plaza. “They boarded the bus, climbing on to the roof top and hanging from the windows and footboard,” an eyewitness told Express.As the procession proceeded at a snail’s pace towards the college, traffic was affected on the arterial road. There was high drama near the Accountant-General office at Teynampet, when ACP N Rajaram got out of his jeep and went charging at the students. The youth dispersed briefly only to regroup near Anna Arivalayam and took control of the MTC 23C bus again, the sources said.In order to avoid any untoward incident, police personnel deployed in sizable strength guided the procession to an extreme corner of the road and the students reached their college in Nandanam around 12.15 pm. In March last, the Madras High Court banned ‘Bus Day.’ Commissioner of Police J K Tripathy warned of action against those violating the ban.