PERAMBALUR: The announcement of a bus depot at Kunnam in the district for Rs 3.55 crore during the state assembly session on Wednesday has come as a relief for locals, who have in the past resorted to even protests condemning the lack of sufficient bus services to the area.
They urged the government for speedy completion of the depot and ply additional buses to put an end to woes like students travelling on the footboard. Currently, the district’s lone TNSTC bus depot at Thuraimangalam witnesses the arrival and departure of 96 buses, including 32 town services. Five buses are also kept on standby.
However, the lack of sufficient bus services in Kunnam taluk and surrounding areas like Kadur, Sathanur, Mungilpadi, Adhanur, Kottarai, and Veppur often forces the public and students to resort to footboard travelling, complain locals. Following various protests and submission of petitions with the Collectorate and via the Ungal Thoguthiyil Mudhalamaichar (CM in your constituency) portal demanding additional bus services, Transport Minister SS Sivasankar in the state assembly on Wednesday announced of the project for a new bus depot at Kunnam.
Welcoming the announcement, R Ashok, a resident of Kunnam, pointed to the difficulties locals currently face in reaching their destination in time and how farmers are not able to transport their produce to the market. The government should hence construct the depot immediately, he said. When contacted, a senior official at the bus depot in Thuraimangalam said that the site for the depot at Kunnam will be selected soon. “The depot will help in bringing sufficient buses to Kunnam and surrounding villages.
School students can be prevented from footboard travelling. The area will also develop with industries and other commercial establishments," the official said.
Meanwhile, G Parthiban of Sathanur said, "There is no transportation facility for tourists to reach the national fossil park, Karai and Kottarai-Marudaiyaru dam. Those routes with schools and colleges that lack sufficient bus services should be inspected and additional buses brought in."