Amid demand from visitors for operation of State-owned buses to the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory at Srirangam, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has conducted a survey to introduce the service to the major tourist hotspot raising hope of operation of the facility.
The survey was done by a senior TNSTC official and a report would be forwarded to the management to determine the feasibility and take a final call. Presently, the TNSTC operates bus service from the Central bus stand up to Melur village which is about 2.4 kilometre ahead of the conservatory, that is sandwiched between the Cauvery and the Coleroon rivers.
The demand for operation of bus service to the conservatory, established on 25 acres, gathered steam after the Public Works Department laid a new road along the Srirangam 'Nattu Vaikkal' from Melur village to the conservatory by widening the 2.4 stretch. The nearly 20-feet road was laid a few months ago at a cost of ₹ 1.93 crore.
Ever since the conservatory was thrown open to visitors in November 2015, it has been attracting visitors in droves. Footfalls peak during week-ends and on public holidays. However, the conservatory has been lacking TNSTC bus facility, forcing visitors to arrive by their own vehicles or by engaging autorickshaws and private cabs.
Although a mini bus is being operated daily from Srirangam to the butterfly conservatory at different time intervals, it is unable to cater to the increased arrivals of visitors. With a new road having been laid up to the conservatory and in the wake of demand from public, the TNSTC has conducted a survey to look into the feasiblity of operating service up to the conservatory, a senior official said.
A report would be sent to the General Manager who would peruse it and forward it to the Managing Director to take a final call, said the official adding that concurrence would also be taken from the Tiruchi District Collector.
The official sounded optimistic about the chances of operating bus service up to the conservatory, adding that the same had been emphasised by the district administration. The official exuded hope that the facility would commence during this month. The plan is to operate the service during the week-ends initially. The footfalls to the conservatory has exceeded nine lakh since its opening in November 2015. The number of butterfly species recorded till now was 102.