Now Reading: Villagers block highway in Tiruvannamalai demanding bus services
-
01
Villagers block highway in Tiruvannamalai demanding bus services
Residents of Usampadi village near Tiruvannamalai town blocked the Chittoor-Cuddalore Highway on Wednesday, demanding that government buses halt at the village bus stop. The bus stop serves at least 15 surrounding villages along the 15-km stretch between Tiruvannamalai and Kilpennathur towns.
Commuters said they have to walk about two km to Karunthuvambadi, the nearest village where all buses halt, causing hardship for students and office-goers. Women and senior citizens said they often rely on motorists for lifts to reach the nearest stop. Several petitions to TNSTC officials and the district administration had yielded no action, they added.
Local police and revenue officials reached the spot and pacified the protesters, who dispersed after officials assured them that District Collector Vandana Garg would be informed of their demand. Commuters and local CPI(M) cadres had blocked the key stretch to highlight their grievance.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The protest exposes a recurring gap in rural public transport coverage in Tamil Nadu: bus operators often skip stops with low daily boardings, leaving satellite villages stranded. Under TNSTC norms, a bus stop's inclusion depends on commuter density and route efficiency, but no binding timeline exists for adding or restoring stops. The affected residents have no alternative public transport, as private operators also bypass the stop. The district collector's intervention, if it leads to a route review, could set a precedent for similar complaints across the state. A decision from the collector's office is expected in the coming weeks.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
