The MTC bus stop on the junction of Periyar Pathai and 100 Feet Road at Vadapalani has become a useless facility for commuters. The stopover which was reinstated a few months ago is not receiving good patronage.
Because only ordinary-fare buses halt here and therefore, commuters prefer to board buses at the Vadapalani junction, which is 200 metres from this stop.
Speaking to News Today, M Suresh Kumar, a resident of Gangaiamman Kovil Street at Vadapalani said, “Periyar Pathai stopover has no facilities such as shelter, seating arrangements, boards giving information about the route numbers. At present, the stopover is separated from the main carriageway using barricades.”
When the work on Metro Rail and the Vadapalani flyover began, this was acting a main bus pickup point. In November 2016, the flyover was opened but the stopover was not reinstated.
“However, after repeated requests by residents of the neighbourhood, the stopover was reinstated this February. But, it was not done in the same location but a few hundred metres away from its original location to avoid traffic chaos,” Suresh said.
However, traffic snarls occur near the new Periyar Pathai stopover. “It is because the stretch of Jawaharlal Nehru Main Road between the Periyar Pathai junction and SIMS Hospital junction is still narrow. The stopover is located in the middle of these two spots,” he said.
When approached, a MTC official said, “To avoid traffic congestion, only ordinary-fare buses are allowed to halt at Periyar Pathai stopover. But shelter and seating arrangements will be provided at the stopover soon.”