MTC Bus LED Route Board Hacked to Display Mock Political Slogan in Chennai

An LED destination route board on a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus in Chennai was tampered with to display "Thakkali Vetri Kazhagam" (Tomato Vettri Kazhagam) in an attempt to degrade the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Video clips showing the modified bus route board circulated on social media platforms over recent days before transport authorities intervened.

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation corrected the destination board immediately after receiving information about the display. Explaining the technical process behind the displays, an MTC official stated that bus drivers and conductors cannot make changes to the route boards on their own because the electronic systems are protected by passwords.

Under standard operating procedures, only dedicated technical teams present in the bus depots hold the authority to input destination names onto the electronic boards. However, the official confirmed that the system was hacked by unknown persons who managed to bypass security and alter the text display. Despite the system breach on public transport property, no formal police complaint has been filed regarding the hacking incident.

A second MTC official revealed that the corporation has awarded external contracts to private companies to supply and maintain the LED route boards across the fleet. The source noted that these tampering incidents could have been averted if the private contractors had remained vigilant.

Similar instances of display tampering have been reported on state-operated buses in recent months. In April, a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus belonging to the Kumbakonam division displayed "Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam" on its route board. In May, a TNSTC Villupuram bus display was hacked to show "Dubai" as its destination instead of Kilambakkam.

In response to the unauthorized use of public transit property to vent political enmity, C. Paul Barnabas, State President of the Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection Organisation, urged the state government to take action against the hackers through its cybercrime wing.