DINDIGUL: Passengers have expressed distress over the TNSTC and private bus operators' refusal to halt buses at Ammainaickanur bus stop and Kodai Road bus stop in Nilakottai of Dindigul district.
Explaining the grievance, Vanagan (55), a villager, said, "Whenever we travel from Madurai to Dindigul or vice-versa, government buses skip the Ammainaickanur and Kodai Road bus stops, and travel through a bypass road to reach Dindigul via Chinnalapatti. Even when we raised complaints, the bus drivers and conductors refused to listen. They halt at a toll plaza (Kozhijivadi toll plaza) which is 3 km away. As a result, we are forced to catch another bus to reach Ammainaickanur."
According to the villagers, the move has caused severe inconvenience, particularly for women and elderly passengers, who are forced to cross the NH along the toll plaza to catch other buses.
Speaking to TNIE, Sathyamoorthy (48), a government employee said, "Some TNSTC buses such as the point-to-point bus services and bypass rider services, intimate the passengers in advance about skipping the stops at Ammainaickanur and Kodai Road, while boarding itself. However, even regular government buses as well as private buses do not halt here. This has been going on for over six months."
When contacted, an official from Dindigul district administration told TNIE, "During an inspection, a team of officials from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Nilakottai found that some buses were deliberately skipping the Ammainaickanur and Kodai Road bus stops. Accordingly, show cause notices were sent to three TNSTC buses and three private bus operators on Sunday night. Besides, more inspections will be carried out on Monday and Tuesday."