DHARMAPURI: Earlier this year, when the Dharmapuri New Bus Stand was inaugurated, operations of TNSTC and SETC buses had been diverted to the new bus stand. This abrupt shift in operations overnight was met with numerous protests, as the number of buses operating within the Dharmapuri municipal limits had dropped significantly. This had affected services to the collectorate, medical college hospital, railway station and other prominent city areas.
While services bound to Harur, Pappireddipatti, Bommidi, Morappur and Irumathur were restored at the old bus stand a week later, for the past three months, there has been demands to restore all operations to the old bus stand.
On Saturday, Collector R Sadheesh passed an order restoring bus operations from the old bus stand. In his order, the collector said, "Following requests, bus operations, including buses bound for Hosur, Krishnagiri and Salem (both private and government), must pass through the old bus stand. This was done to improve access to Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital, government offices and education institutions."
Speaking to TNIE, G Sundar, a shopkeeper at the old bus stand, said, "The change in bus operations three months ago had affected local businesses severely. People could not go to the Dharmapuri medical college hospital, as buses were diverted via Oddapatti junction and Thadangam to the new bus stand. Within the municipality, too, no buses were plying. Farmers were not able to access markets around the old bus stand. Now that operations have been restored in the old bus stand, we hope the situation will improve."
Another resident, S Mariappan from Pennagaram said, "On Saturday, there was confusion among the bus drivers and conductors on the revised routes as there were no official routes. There was only an announcement made informing that all buses must pass through the old bus stand. However, the situation stabilised on Sunday."
S Amudha from Oddapatti said, "Previously, we had to pay an additional `5 to reach the old bus stand and the frequency of buses was also limited. Now, we can get a bus in every 15 minutes."
When TNIE reached out to officials in the regional transport office, they said, "After much deliberation and based on people's needs, revisions had been made."
