TIRUCHY: Commuters from several residential localities, including KK Nagar, Vayalur, Ponmalai, Thiruverumbur and Thuvakudi, have flagged inadequate city bus connectivity to the Panjappur integrated bus terminus, from where inter-district services operate.
Residents said the limited frequency of city buses has made last-mile travel to Panjappur time-consuming and inconvenient, particularly during peak hours, forcing many to rely on auto-rickshaws, share auto-rickshaws or private buses at higher cost.
"There is no direct city bus from KK Nagar to Panjappur. We are unnecessarily forced to travel to the Central Bus Stand or Mannapuram to take another bus to Panjappur," said R Preethi, a resident of KK Nagar. She added that private buses from the area also operate at low frequency, making daily travel unreliable. Residents of Vayalur also echoed similar concerns.
"There is only one bus in the morning and one in the evening. Most of the time, we have no option but to depend on private buses or share auto-rickshaws. For autos, we have to pay around Rs 250, while private buses cost around Rs 20 and share auto-rickshaws around Rs 50, which adds to the burden," said R Karthick, a resident of Vayalur.
Traffic activists pointed out that while Panjappur is well-served by mofussil and private buses, several interior city routes remain poorly connected due to the shortage of local services.
"There is no city bus operating from KK Nagar, which is one of the biggest residential areas in Tiruchy. Ironically, routes connected by mofussil buses from various districts have better access to Panjappur. Areas like KK Nagar and Vayalur, which do not fall on these routes, have to solely rely on local buses," said N Saravanan, a traffic activist.
He added that residents of Thiruverumbur, Thuvakudi and OFT areas are relatively less affected as they can use mofussil buses from other districts passing through those routes. Transport officials, however, maintained that Panjappur has been adequately connected through interchange services. A senior Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) official said buses operate every five minutes between Panjappur and the Central and Chathiram bus stands.
"These two major bus stands connect most parts of the city. Commuters can reach Panjappur through interchange services rather than direct routes. Areas like KK Nagar and Vayalur will soon get improved connectivity. So far, we have not received many complaints or formal requests from residents on this issue," the official said.
He further said that out of nearly 500 city buses operated daily in Tiruchy, around 150 services touch Panjappur. "Considering the existing fleet strength, Panjappur is among the better-connected locations. We are monitoring passenger demand and will assess the need for additional or direct services if required," the official added.