Residents and activists of Mayiladuthurai have expressed concerns over the lack of basic amenities and poor maintenance of public infrastructure at the town bus stand.
Two bus stands are functioning at the heart of Mayiladuthurai town. Buses bound towards northern and western districts are operated from the Kamarajar bus stand established by Mayiladuthurai Municipality in the early 1960s, which was then the only bus stand.
Later, the town administration felt the need to decongest it and established another bus stand on a piece of land adjacent to Varadachariar Park from where buses bound towards Karaikal, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam are operated.
After a prolonged demand of the residents of Mayiladuthurai for over three decades to establish a new bus stand outside the town, the Mayiladuthurai Municipal administration, last year, passed a resolution to construct a new bus stand at the Manakudi village on the Poompuhar - Kallanai Highway, roughly about two kilometres away from the town, and sanctioned a sum of ₹ 24 crore. The construction of a new bus stand is underway and likely to be operational by next year.
Meanwhile, residents and activists have pointed out the lack of basic amenities in both the town bus stands. Activist A. Appar Sundaram said the infrastructure of the free-of-cost toilet facility at the bus stand is damaged and poorly maintained. Taking advantage of the poor conditions of the free-of-cost toilets, the operators of pay-and-use toilets at the premises have been charging excess. Shops inside the bus stand also sell water bottles at exorbitant rates due to the lack of purified public drinking water taps.
Women and senior citizens suffer as there are no proper seating arrangements at the bus stand near Varadachariar Park, said R. Manjula, a passenger. Push cart vendors have occupied the public spaces inside the bus stand. The premises is also becoming a safe haven for miscreants and tipplers who create trouble for passengers, particularly during late hours.
Due to frequent inspections of Collector A.P. Mahabharathi, garbage heaps inside the bus stand have been cleared, said Mr. Sundaram, who also demanded the removal of garbage piles at least twice a day to avoid accumulation.
When contacted, a senior official from Mayiladuthurai Municipality said the town administration would look into the issues surrounding the bus stand. Steps were under way to improve the conditions and a request would be placed to the State government seeking additional funds.
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