Commuters are forced to alight from the buses on the highway near Mannarpuram roundabout while some have to wait on the narrow pavement unmindful of the risk.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in association with the Tiruchi Corporation, will soon erect bus shelters along the service road on the Madurai-Tiruchi National Highway near the Mannarpuram roundabout in the city.
The roundabout has emerged as a major boarding point for long-distance travellers and commuters after the commissioning of the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Integrated Bus Terminus (IBT) at Panjapur. Several commuters have been boarding mofussil buses at Mannarpuram to save time and money.
Mofussil buses pick up the passengers from impromptu halts along the service road on the Madurai-Tiruchi National Highway, alongside the Mannarpuram flyover. This is the stretch where the city corporation has been setting up temporary bus stands during festival seasons over the past few years to ease the congestion at the Central Bus Stand. However, there are no bus shelters on this stretch, leaving passengers waiting for buses exposed to the harsh weather conditions in the city.
Following persistent public demands, Tiruchi MP Durai Vaiko inspected the spot along with NHAI and Corporation officials on Friday morning. Pointing out that passengers were exposed to vagaries of nature in the absence of shelters, Mr. Durai Vaiko expressed confidence that the NHAI and the Corporation would respond to this.
Sources in the NHAI said that the shelters would be erected soon in association with the Corporation.
Published – November 28, 2025 08:14 pm IST
