ARIYALUR: Residents and college students in Ariyalur have voiced their concerns over the inadequate transport facilities to the temporary bus stand from the town. They are demanding services likes share autos and dedicated town buses to alleviate their commuting woes.
The bus stand opposite Vani Mahal on Perambalur Road was set up as a stop-gap measure while the construction of the new bus stand, at a cost of Rs 7.8 crore, got underway last year. The Ariyalur bus stand, established in 1975 near the Anna statue spanning three acres, serves as a crucial hub for travel to various districts, including Chennai, Tiruchy, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Chidambaram, and Virudhachalam.
However, the aging infrastructure and neglect have rendered the buildings dilapidated and unusable. A decision was then taken to construct a new bus stand. Accordingly, on March 5 2023, foundation stone was laid for the new bus stand near Anna statue.
But progress on the construction has been sluggish. Promises of completion within a year remain unfulfilled, leaving commuters in the lurch. In response, the Ariyalur municipality set up a temporary bus stand for the convenience of passengers.
However, certain buses, particularly those servicing Jayankondam and surrounding areas, do not utilise this facility, causing disruption to travel plans of many. Moreover, the lack of proper bus services from the town to the temporary bus stand compounds the issue, leaving passengers stranded.
The bus stand also lacks basic facilities, including drinking water, complain commuters. R Sankar, who lodged a petition with the district collectorate on these issues, told TNIE, "Buses coming from districts like Tiruchy and Thanjavur are meant to arrive at the temporary bus stand. But they drop off passengers outside the stand, leading to accidents while commuters cross the busy road."
"Not all buses come to the stand, leaving people confused. Besides, one of the two water tanks in the temporary stand is damaged. One water tank is not sufficient especially during Summer," he said, adding that the lack of proper toilets is causing further discomfort to commuters. C Arumugam, a passenger, said, "Many town buses do not go to the temporary bus stand from Anna statue. There is no transport facility like shared autos. So a special bus should operate from the temporary bus stand to Anna statue, medical college hospital and railway station until completion of new bus stand work." When contacted, an official from Ariyalur Municipality said,
"We received a complaint that buses were not going to the temporary bus stand. It will be fixed soon. We are taking steps to set up a new water tank there. We will look into other issues."