TIRUCHY: The road at the Thuvakudi bus depot, which operates under the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) Kumbakonam division, has been in a severely damaged condition for over five years, causing daily operational challenges and serious safety concerns for buses, say staff members.
Located on the Tiruchy-Thanjavur national highway, the Thuvakudi depot manages over 50 town buses that serve surrounding villages such as Melamangavanam, Poigaikudy, Sengipatti, VOC Nagar, Suriyur and Tirukkattupalli. However, due to the broken and uneven road surface inside the depot, buses are now being parked on sand-filled patches, which have become increasingly difficult to navigate, especially during the rainy season. The depot falls under the Thiruverumbur block, which is represented by Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi.
The condition has become even worse following monsoon rains. Rainwater fills the potholes, and the whole area turns muddy, making it hard to even walk, not just for drivers and conductors, but for other staff members too. Despite repeated requests by drivers and staff, no permanent repair work has been carried out, say workers.
They add only temporary fixes like sand-filling have been done, which they say hardly lasts weeks. A senior driver on condition of anonymity said, “There is not a single spot inside the depot where we can drive smoothly. Bus parts like suspension, tyres and underbody components, are constantly getting damaged. It is like driving over a field, not a depot.”
He added, “During monsoon, the damaged road has also caused buses to get delayed, which affects people in nearby villages who depend on them. This makes their work more difficult every day.”
A conductor with 16 years of service said, “When it rains, we cannot even go inside to reach our bus. Our shoes sink in the mud. Sometimes, buses get stuck, and we have to wait for help to push them out.”
When contacted, an official from the transport department in Tiruchy told TNIE, “We have recently started taking action on the issue and will restore the damaged bus depot road soon.”