TIRUCHY: A year after its opening, the Panjappur integrated bus terminus is drawing criticism from passengers for poor maintenance of facilities that were hailed as world class.
Built at a cost of Rs 246.1 crore, and inaugurated in July 2025, the terminus handles several hundred bus operating to various parts of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states. City buses operate from the first floor, while long-distance buses operate from the fully air-conditioned ground floor.
Passengers who hailed the facilities and swanky interiors now complain that most of it are falling into disuse due to poor maintenance. Among the list of complaints are non-functional air-conditioning, faulty digital display boards and broken escalators.
J Lakshmi (35) , who travels to Madurai frequently, said the air-conditioning system on the ground floor has been functioning in an erratic manner over the last few months, and passengers had to sweat it out in hot and humid conditions.
K Anand (64), a passenger, said a few escalators do not function, putting senior citizens and families travelling with children to hardship. He added that the digital display boards giving details of bus routes and bays also do not function properly. "Those unfamiliar with the terminus find it difficult to locate the correct bus bays, " he said.
Another passenger M Saravanan (42) from Madurai, said, "Faulty display boards and non-working escalators cause difficulties for passengers. We have to ask shopkeepers for directions."
Encroachment of corridors by traders adds to woes of passengers. Some traders have placed tables and chairs outside their shops and a few have set up cooking areas using electric stoves. As customers crowd the shops, they block the corridor.
L Vanitha (22), a college student, said, "The facility initially offered airport-like experience. Now, the air-conditioning works only occasionally and the corridors are encroached. When we ask authorities, we are told that repairs are underway. The terminus is beginning to resemble the old central bus stand."
Ward 65 AIADMK councillor K K Ambikapathi, "The contractor - Vedha- is not carrying out maintenance work regularly, and the corporation failed to take action. The air-conditioner is switched on only when during visit of officials for inspections."
Corporation commissioner N Ponmani was not available for a response. A senior official from Tiruchy Corporation said all equipment were in order , but there was an issue with power supply due to which they don't function properly at times. He said the facilities would be inspected and problems fixed.
When contacted, a TNPDCL official in Tiruchy said, “The bus terminus is supplied power through a high-tension (HT) line, so there is no possibility of low voltage. We have not received any complaint from the corporation about this. However, we will check this issue.”