COIMBATORE: Inadequate services of TNSTC buses from Pollachi to Valparai on Tuesday and Wednesday inconvenienced travellers no end. Several people WHO intended to travel back home well before the voting day had to endure long waits at the Pollachi bus stand.
Travellers alleged that the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) did not operate enough buses from Pollachi to Valparai despite an expected surge of passengers.
S Sandhiya, who is papering civil services exam coaching in Coimbatore, told TNIE that she and her friend had waited from 8 am to 12:30 pm at Pollachi bus stand on Tuesday to board a bus to Valparai.
She is from Stanmore in Valparai.
Sandhiya said that even though buses arrived once every 45 minutes, they could not board the bus as it was jam-packed. She recalled that a large number of people pushed each other to catch the bus, grab seats, and many travelled by hanging onto the footboard.
"With no other option, my friend, I, and two others booked a cab and reached Valparai in the evening. For this, we spent Rs 2,200. If TNSTC had operated enough buses and deployed staff to regulate the crowd, we could have reached without any struggle," she said.
A student, C Subha, said that even on Wednesday morning, there was a heavy crowd at the Pollachi bus stand as many people were heading to Valparai to cast their votes.
"I had to wait two hours for the bus, then run after it and throw our bags onto the seats. Women and senior citizens suffered the most," she said.
CPI(M) Valparai Taluk Secretary P Paramasivam, who petitioned the district collector urging adequate bus operations to Valparai, alleged that TNSTC had not operated enough buses. He requested officers to take steps to deploy additional buses after polling.
A senior officer of the TNSTC, Coimbatore region, has denied these allegations. He said that 12 buses are being operated additionally from Pollachi to Valparai by deploying extra staff.
"Many people are going to their native places due to the Assembly election and the continuous holidays including the weekend," he reasoned.