TIRUCHY: The inconvenience from the unauthorised parking of private vehicles on the premises of the integrated bus terminus (IBT) at Panjappur has come to the fore this festive season, as bus drivers complain of parking difficulty and departure delays while passengers express concern over their safety during movement on campus.
The terminus, which began operations in July, handles thousands of buses plying to various parts of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states. Deepavali has only added to the operations as special buses add to the surge in passenger demand. Challenging the operations, however, are private vehicles illegally parking on the premises.
Although the terminus is equipped with dedicated parking spaces that can accommodate up to 200 cars and 1,000 two-wheelers, many avoid the parking fee of Rs 20 and Rs 50 charged respectively for two-wheelers and four-wheelers for a 24-hour period, and go on to enter even the bus bays in the terminus, complain passengers and bus drivers alike. Despite the presence of a police outpost within the terminus, law enforcement is weak, they add.
A Chellamuthu, a shopkeeper at the terminus, said, "People often park inside the premises just to avoid walking a short distance from the designated parking areas. This, however, leads to traffic delays and blocks the movement of buses, especially during rush hour. It also increases the risk of accidents, especially with children and elderly passengers moving around in the crowded areas."
Meanwhile, a bus driver said, "We are finding it increasingly difficult to manoeuvre buses during peak hour. Some even park in the bus bays, which delays bus departures. When no action is taken, the problem only grows over time, just like what happened at the old central bus stand."
When contacted, a senior corporation official told TNIE, "As the terminus opened only recently, strict action is yet to be taken. We, however, will gradually enforce strict measures against illegal parking." Meanwhile, a city police official said, "Some people enter the premises to park illegally. We currently cannot impose fines for this type of violation. We, however, will monitor the situation."
