THOOTHUKUDI: Residents of Udangudi have condemned TNSTC for diverting buses through Srivaikuntam bus stand, and said it results in delay in reaching their destinations.
A protest planned on Friday in this regard by Udangudi Urimai meetpu porattakulu was called off after peace talks with Tiruchendur tahsildar and TNSTC officials.
TNSTC operates two services - 137E and 137H - between Udangudi and Tirunelveli on the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur state highway.
The two buses serve students, teachers, workers hailing from Udangudi and surrounding areas.
In the wake of a recent order from the district collector, all buses are operated through the Srivaikuntam bus stand. Residents of Udangudi said this costs them time.
V Gunaselan, an activist, said due to the doversion, the travel time to Tirunelveli from Udangudi has increased by two-and-half hours from the previous 1.45 hours.
“All the regular passengers have plans to reach the destination on the right time, however, the office goers, students and employees are reaching late to their offices”, he said.
Srivaikuntam is served by several buses and it is unnecessary to divert all the buses through the town, whihc is a 5 km detour, he added.
In the peace talks, TNSTC officials had agreed to advance the schedule from Tirunelveli to 6.15 am, instead of 6.30 am. In the evening, the buses will start at 4.20 pm from Tirunelveli with a cut service to Nazareth. Steps will be taken to operate a bus from Tirunelveli to Udangudi at 8.30 pm, they said.
Hearing about the protest plan, several Srivaikuntam residents posted derogatory remarks on social media.