TIRUCHY: The Chathiram bus stand, which was renovated at a cost of Rs 28 crore under the Smart Cities Mission and inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin in December 2021, today presents a picture of neglect. Regular commuters say facilities have fallen into disuse, and traders are using the walkways and bus bays to display their wares and park vehicles.
Officials in the Tiruchy city corporation blame transport department an police for the situation. The bus stand has thirty bus bays and caters to at least one lakh people daily. Both private and government buses are operated from here to Samayapuram, Lalgudi, Manachanallur, Thuvakudi, Inamkulathur, and Mukkombu.
Despite the huge investment and planning, the absence of regulation and enforcement frustrates commuters. One of the major issues pointed out by them is failure of crew to park buses in their designated bays. Without a proper parking system or enforcement mechanism, bus drivers stop at random locations, creating traffic congestion and confusion.
Further, despite having dedicated areas, shopkeepers, police personnel, and bus crew park their two-wheelers in bus bays and on the walkways. What tops the list of commuter woes is the closure of passenger waiting hall for over a year, forcing people to stand or sit on the platforms as no other seating arrangement is available. Commuters also flag the lack of safety and say two-wheelers use the premises as short cut to cross the busy road outside. Allowing them free access into the bus stand is a risk, they say.
Although a police outpost exists within the premises, commuters allege that violations are routinely ignored by personnel. S Kamala from Lalgudi, who uses the bus stand daily for work, told TNIE, “It is confusing. No bus stops where it’s supposed to. We have to keep running behind buses. It is hard for school students, elderly and women carrying children.”
I Sadam, a shop owner, said, “There is no regulation here. Buses do not stop in their bays, leading to constant honking and shouting from conductors to get passengers’ attention. The noise is unbearable. The police post is useless without proper monitoring, and the disorder makes the area unsafe, especially during peak hours.”
When contacted, officials in Tiruchy city corporation passed the buck to transport department and police. “Transport officials should ensure buses are parked in the designated bays. Drivers and conductors have been using the waiting hall to consume liquor and have caused damage, which is why we locked it. The police do not regularly patrol inside the bus stand,” an official said. He added that officials hold drive against encroachments once every six months. “We will look into this issue,” an official said.