Perambalur bus stand a picture of neglect

PERAMBALUR: Increasingly dissatisfied with the lack of basic facilities at the Perambalur Bus Stand, passengers have called upon the municipality to act immediately on this. Located near the municipal office, the Perambalur Bus Stand provides connects the district to surrounding villages as well as other districts like Tiruchy, Cuddalore, Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Ariyalur, Tiruvannamalai, Erode, Coimbatore and Chennai.

As an important point of access for thousands of commuters, the failure to to provide basic facilities like drinking water, toilets and benches has been a sore point for quite some time. The additional lack of maintenance has only added to their woes.

Speaking to TNIE, Veerapandi, a 60-year-old passenger said, "There is not even a bench for passengers to sit on while waiting for the bus. Elderly people and pregnant women are forced to stand until the buses arrive. Whatever space is there is occupied by shops, from where we have to buy drinking water in bottles.

I request the officials to arrange at least water and sitting benches immediately because they are very important for passengers." Another passenger S Aruna Devi said, "Haphazard parking of buses disrupts and irritates passengers. Apart from that, two-wheelers are parked inside the bus stand, obstructing their movement. This road has not been maintained for many years, inconveniencing passengers and buses.

Also, the bus stand premises looks littered with no maintenance. The main bus stand of the district is in such bad condition." D Ramachandran, an activist from Perambalur, said, "Only the paid toilet is functioning properly here, and the rest urinate in the open in the stand.

People are also largely unaware of the buses plying from here, so the authorities should set up a digital board about the buses and their timings. Breastfeeding rooms should be set up, and the bus stand should be expanded." TNIE contacted Perambalur Municipal Commissioner (In-charge) R Radha, who said, "I will take steps to build a proper road, provide drinking water and remove encroachments in the bus stand."