The main town bus stand in Udhagamandalam is once again the focus of attention.
The bus stand, which was to be renovated and modernised as announced by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami earlier this year, has become riddled with potholes and dysfunctional toilets.
Passengers regularly using the bus stand said that the potholes have developed most prominently at the entrance and exit of the two bus stands, which makes it extremely difficult for passengers to enter the bus stand, especially when it's raining.
S. Vignesh, a resident of Kotagiri who works in Udhagamandalam, said that most passengers prefer to wait till the bus leaves the terminus and makes its way onto the road before boarding. “This is dangerous, as the stretch of road is already quite crowded, and more people on the road means that there's less space for vehicles to travel on,” he added.
J. Haldorai, the Nilgiris district secretary of the CITU, who along with other activists tried to plant saplings in the potholes at the bus stand a few days ago to try to raise awareness among officials about the issue, said that the promises made by the Chief Minister when he announced that the bus stand will be modernised spending ₹ 2 crore, have not been fulfilled.
“This is one of the main grievances of the town's residents, that the bus stand needs immediate renovation and modernization,” said Mr. Haldorai.
The TNSTC tried haphazardly to fix the potholes a few days back and dumped sand and mud in the bus stand, but the rains only made their hasty repair jobs worse, with the mud turning into sludge.