TIRUCHY: Students of Government Arts College, Kumulur, near Lalgudi, have urged the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation to operate additional buses during peak hours, alleging that overcrowded and inadequate services are causing them to miss classes regularly, prompting the college administration to consider revising class timings to ease the commuting burden.
The college, located about 10 km from Lalgudi, is served by five TNSTC buses-two from Samayapuram, two from Lalgudi and one from Pullambadi-operating towards Ariyalur via Kumulur. According to students, the buses from Lalgudi and Pullambadi reach the college between 8 am and 9.00 am, forcing them either to board overcrowded buses or arrive nearly an hour before classes commence at 9.40 am.
Many students, therefore, depend on the two Samayapuram buses that leave around 9.00 am and take about 45 minutes to reach the college. However, these buses are often overcrowded. “Hundreds of students rely on these buses every day.
Many are unable to get in because they are packed beyond capacity and end up missing the first period,” said T Mohan, a second-year M.Com student. He said TNSTC had, following repeated representations from students, briefly advanced the timing of one of the buses. “The revised schedule was followed only for about a week before the bus reverted to its old timing. Since then, the problem has continued,” he said.
Students have also sought additional bus services in the afternoon, pointing out that only one TNSTC bus is available around 2.30 pm after college hours, while only a few private buses ply the route.
A senior faculty member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the bus schedules largely cater to daily wage workers.
“Students can board the earlier buses and reach the campus by around 9.00 am, but many are reluctant to wait for nearly an hour before classes begin. Since the existing bus schedule also serves daily wage workers, altering it is not easy. To minimise inconvenience to students, the college has postponed the commencement of classes from 9.40 am to 10 am and extending the closing time to 2.50 pm,” the faculty member said.
A senior TNSTC official said the corporation had already initiated measures to address the issue. “We have instructed the Samayapuram buses to start a little earlier,” the official added.
