Passengers travelling by mofussil buses on Tiruchi-Karur route are still put to much hardship as the buses continue to avoid going via Chathiram Bus Stand, even after the reopening of the satellite bus terminus.
For over two years, mofussil buses going to Karur, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore from Tiruchi skipped Chathiram Bus Stand as it remained closed for renovation. They picked and dropped passengers at the temporary bus halts on Karur Highway, on both direction.
Although the bus stand was reopened after renovation, which was taken up under the Smart Cities Mission, a few weeks ago, the buses operating on the routes do not go via the bus stand.
The location of the temporary bus halt immediately after the descent of the road overbridge on Karur Bypass Road has also compounded the woes of motorists as the bus crew halt their vehicles haphazardly, blocking traffic coming behind.
In the recent years, Karur Bypass Road, connecting Salai Road and Tiruchi-Karur Highway, has emerged as one of the arterial roads in the city. It has also emerged as an important entry route for vehicles coming from the northern and western districts of the State. Mofussil buses and other vehicles from these districts enter the city via this road at the traffic intersection near Kalaignar Arivalyam. Severe traffic congestion witnessed at this junction is aggravated by the halting of the buses at the temporary stop.
“Hundreds of passengers undergo much hardship every day as they have to trek to and from the temporary bus halts. Some autorickshaw drivers fleece passengers for the short trip to the bus stand from the temporary bus halt,” said P. Ayyarappan, district president, Road Users Welfare Association.
The association has submitted a representation to the district administration. “The petition has been forwarded to the Transport authorities, who say that they are ready to concede the demand if the police clear the same. We plan to meet the traffic police officials soon,” Mr. Ayyarappan said.
“Senior citizens, women and persons with disabilities face much difficulty; the temporary bus halts are unsafe during nights and early hours. There is adequate space for providing halts for theses buses after the renovation of the Chathiram Bus Stand,” said N. Ramakrishnan, another civic activist.
The police should keep the area around the bus stand free of encroachments and regulate vendors, he said.