THOOTHUKUDI: Commuters waiting at the Thoothukudi smart city bus stand in the sultry heat have raised complaints on Wednesday, alleging that the RO water units in the premises were damaged by shopkeepers at the bus stand, in order to boost sale of bottled water. Members of the public raised the issue with Mayor NP Jegan, who had visited the facility to inaugurate a private shop.
The RO units were installed by the Thoothukudi corporation to provide normal and cold water free of cost, in a bid to quench the thirst of the waiting commuters against the increasing mercury levels. Commuters have said that valves of all four RO water units at the bus stand and at the gate were locked to keep the RO units dry. "Due to high mercury levels and the heatwave, many take refuge in the premises of the bus stand. Rendering RO units inaccessible has forced commuters to buy bottled water from the shops," said Vanaja, a commuter.
Similarly, some units were encroached by the shopkeepers, making the unit invisible to the public, commuters said. They also complained about the inadequate seating arrangement at the bus stand despite the high footfall. The commuters further alleged that portions of the staircase have been encroached by a shop.
So, when Thoothukudi corporation Mayor Jegan visited the premises to inaugurate a private shop, the commuters present raised complaints. The mayor then inspected the RO units and found that their water valves were locked, and took up the issue with Corporation Commissioner L Madhubalan. It is learnt that shopkeepers selling fruit juices and water bottles allegedly locked the valves to boost the sale of the drinks.
