MADURAI: Parents have appealed for improved bus services to Palaiyur panchayat in Madurai, citing difficulties faced by school students as they are forced to walk over three three kilometres from Palaiyur panchayat to Palaiyur Pirivu to board buses to the Government Senior Secondary School in Saptur.
Speaking to TNIE, S Vidya, former president of Palaiyur panchayat, said, "The panchayat is home to over 900 families with a population exceeding 2,000. There is only a middle school in the area, which offers education up to Class 8. The Government Senior Secondary School is located in Saptur, over five kilometres away. Many students belong to economically weaker families and find it difficult to access the senior school."
“Every morning, around 200 students, along with their parents, walk to Palaiyur Pirivu to catch the bus. In the evening, they return home the same way. This hardship can be avoided if a few government buses are allowed to pass through Palaiyur panchayat,” she said.
Explaining further, former Vandapuli Panchayat president V Jayaraman said the distance places an additional burden on students. “Our nearest government senior secondary school is situated in Saptur, about five kilometres away, while some students travel over eight kilometres daily,” he said.
Responding to the issue, an official from the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), Madurai region, assured that the matter would be addressed within a few days. He said the TNSTC Usilampatti manager would review bus routes covering Palaiyur panchayat and Palaiyur Pirivu. “If buses are found to be bypassing the panchayat intentionally or skipping the route to save time, necessary action will be taken. Steps will be initiated to ensure Palaiyur panchayat is included in the Usilampatti–Peraiyur bus routes,” the official said.