TIRUCHY: A bus shelter built near the Thiruvanaikoil checkpost in Tiruchy at a cost of Rs 15 lakh has been dismantled and shifted about 500 metres after Lok Sabha MP Durai Vaiko said it was constructed at a location different from the one he had approved.
The shelter was built by the Tiruchy City Corporation under the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme for 2025-26 and inaugurated by Durai Vaiko in November 2025.
Durai Vaiko said he had approved the shelter at the Thiruvanaikoil bus stop following requests from residents of Ward 5. However, he said the location was changed without informing him after a request from a local politician, and the shelter was built near the Thiruvanaikoil checkpost.
“Later, while passing through the area, I noticed that the shelter was not being used much. I asked my team to look into the issue,” Durai Vaiko said.
The shelter was later dismantled and shifted to the Thiruvanaikoil bus stop. Sources said the relocation cost about Rs 3 lakh and was borne by local residents.
The relocation has sparked fresh criticism because a bus shelter built in 2023-24 during the tenure of former Tiruchy MP Su Thirunavukkarasar already exists at the same location. The two shelters now stand next to each other.
Sources associated with the project said an additional shelter would help accommodate more commuters. However, councillors and residents questioned the need for two shelters at the same spot after spending public funds on construction and relocation.
The issue was raised during a recent Tiruchy Corporation council meeting.
“There is no need for two bus shelters in a congested area. Relocating a newly constructed facility raises questions over planning. If the shelter was not being used as expected, the authorities should have assessed the requirement before constructing it,” DMK councillor T Muthuselvam said.
Some residents also disputed the claim that the original shelter was underutilised.
“People were using the bus shelter. Even if it is not being used much today, it could become useful in the future. There was no need to shift the shelter,” resident B Gurusankar said.
Acknowledging a lapse in the project, Durai Vaiko said he usually inspected sites before approving works.
“In this case, some people did not bring the issue to my attention, which resulted in this issue. I will ensure that such things do not happen again,” he said.