COIMBATORE: The residents of Somayampalayam in the outskirts of the city, demanded that the branch manager of Marudhamalai depot should resume operations of the stopped bus service on their village route, for school students.
They said that the bus (number 11 D/E), operated from Kalveerampalayam to the railway station via Somayampalayam, Kanuvai, etc for three trips in a day, was stopped after the pandemic.
A resident of Somayampalayam, P Premkumar told TNIE that this bus was operated exclusively for school students residing at Kanuvai, Kalappanaickenpalayam, Somayampalayam, Navavoor, etc to travel to the government high school located at Kalveerampalayam on Marudhamalai Road, in the mornings and evenings.
"Earlier a bus was being operated to Kalveerampalayam at 9.20 am to drop off students. Despite reaching at 3.40 pm at Kalveerampalayam, the bus would wait there till 4.20 pm to pick up students. The bus would then leave at 4.30 pm from the place to drop off students at villages," he recalled.
He added, "Since the bus stopped services, around 100 students, especially female students have been forced to walk to school and return home daily at least three kilometres. While some parents take their children to school by two-wheelers and some students hitch rides from motorists to go to school, these are risks." He urged the branch manager of Marudhamalai branch to resume operations of the bus on this route for students' benefit.
Another resident told TNIE that they had submitted a petition to the district administration six months ago, but it went in vain.
When asked about it, an officer from Maruthamalai branch told TNIE that he would take steps to resume bus operation soon after clearance from top officers of TNSTC Coimbatore region.