TIRUCHY: East Boulevard Road, which connects Chathiram Bus Stand and Gandhi Market, is a prominent spot in the city, with a UPHC, corporation higher secondary school and Wards 17, 18 and 20 falling under it. But the lack of proper bus services makes life hard for the around 10,000 residents of the area. According to some of the residents, there are only two buses running through the locality, one in the morning and the other in the evening.
"We don't have bus services even for emergencies. Women from here, most of whom are daily wagers and cleaning workers for the corporation, have to walk long distances to reach the Chathiram bus stand. Autorickshaws charge up to Rs 200 to go to Chathiram bus stand," said an elderly woman from Karuvattupettai. Anbu P, another resident, said,
"Every day hundreds of load workers go from here to the nearby Gandhi market during night hours. Despite hard work in the night they have to walk and get back to their houses in the morning." DYFI district president P Lenin said,
"Majority of people who reside there are from underprivileged backgrounds and depend on day-long bus services. Gandhi market is 3km away, and Chathiram bus stand 5km away." He further added, "Areas including Varaganeri and Mahalaxmi nagar which are 3-4 km away from EB road, rely on the UPHC here as it is covered in its zone. Lack of bus services affects patients from there on an everyday basis." A district-level TNSTC official, while speaking to TNIE, said no such complaint was received from the area, but lent assurance that it would be looked into.