ARIYALUR: Commuters complain of the months-old bus shelters set up in Vilangudi along the Tiruchy-Chidambaram national highway lying unused as buses do not stop here but at the old stop – which is hardly 500 metres away from the new ones, but lacks a roof to protect them from the elements.
Work on the NH 227 was started in May 2019 and is being executed in three phases: Tiruchy-Kallagam, Kallagam-Meensurutti and Meensurutti-Chidambaram, at a cost of `2100 crore. Nearly 90% of the work has been completed. During the work, two new bus shelters were built on either side of Vilangudi near V
Kaikatti several months ago. The shelters are located about 500 metres away from the old bus stop. Buses to Ariyalur, Jayankondam, Tiruchy, Chidambaram, Madurai, Tiruppur, and other local locations stop at Vilangudi.
These buses, however, do not stop at the new bus shelters but stop at the old bus stand. People said the new shelters were constructed without planning and do not benefit anyone. Residents have urged the authorities to stop the buses at the new bus shelters or else provide shelter at the old bus stop.
Advocate MK Arulraja of V Kaikatti said, "Shelters were not built at the old bus stop in Vilangudi but 500 metres away from it. Thus they are of no use to the public. Buses pick up and drop off passengers at the old bus stop. People are forced to wait in the rain and hot sun as there is no shelter there."
"As the new bus shelters are located where there is no movement of people, anti-social elements use them to consume alcohol at night. The authorities have to erect shelter at the old bus stop. Otherwise, steps should be taken to stop buses at the new bus shelters," he added.
T Sivakumar, a resident of Vilangudi, said, "Bus shelters were not in the right place. Thus we are confused about where to go to board buses. Even last week, I was waiting for a bus to Ariyalur at the new bus shelter. But the buses did not stop there. Later, I went to the old bus stop and took the bus."
"There is a government engineering college in the locality. Students have to wait without a shelter. Authorities have to set up the sheds at the old bus stop as buses are stopping here," he said.
When contacted an official from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) told TNIE, "We inspected the place and set up shelters in Vilangudi to prevent accidents. People should inform the concerned authorities to make buses have a stoppage there."