TIRUCHY: The lack of bus services during the night has been a cause of inconvenience in Kumaravayalur gram panchayat, rue residents. Speaking to TNIE, the residents said neither government nor private buses zip through the roads to Tiruchy city past 9.15 p.m. Autorickshaws charge heftily, they said.
Kumaravayalur panchayat, comprising 2,000 residents, boasts of the Vayalur Murugan Temple and witnesses a high influx of devotees every day. However, the lack of proper bus connectivity has been a cause of inconvenience for these devotees who arrive in the panchayat by traversing miles. It takes approximately forty minutes to reach Tiruchy city, located 12km away from the panchayat.
Rajkumar B of Kumaravayalur said, "Bus service at night was suspended by the transport department about ten years ago. They then cited low footfall as the reason. Buses at night would make commutation safe and convenient. Restoring the bus service would benefit not just us, but the residents of neighbouring panchayats, including Somarasanpettai, who, too, are faced with a similar plight."
Kannan A of Anthanallur panchayat, who runs a shop near the Vayalur Temple, said, "Devotees arrive in droves to offer prayers at the temple. We fetch good sales. However, we are forced to leave early due to a lack of bus services." Vayalur N Rajendran, a farmer leader, said, "We had proper bus services at night about ten years ago. The last bus used to ply from here at 1 a.m. However, it was suspended. In the case of an emergency, we are forced to take autorickshaws and pay a hefty amount of about Rs 400 for a one-way trip."
According to Rajendran, buses from Vayalur plied through Srirangam, Samayapuram, Manikandam Union, Jeeyapuram and Tiruchy city. An official from the Department of Transport in Tiruchy, acknowledging the shortage of buses plying through the area at night, told TNIE, "We have been receiving similar requests from several places. We will allot buses on priority once we get new ones from the state government."