Residents suffer as buses skip Peerkankaranai stop

CHENNAI: Bus passengers suffer since the Erikarai bus stop in Peerkankaranai is located very close to the exit of the flyover and so the MTC bus drivers are avoiding the stoppage completely.

The Erikarai bus stop is located between Perungalathur and Tambaram and all the whiteboard buses used to stop there. The residents of Vel Nagar, Devanesa Nagar, Roja Nagar, Mullai Nagar, Lakshmipuram and Srinivasa Nagar would use the bus stop regularly and most of the school and college students would also board the buses there.

Now, after the inauguration of the Perungalathur flyover the bus stop was shifted near the entrance of the Maduravoyal bypass road. After that, all the whiteboard buses are skipping the bus stop completely and even though the passengers asked for the stoppage the conductors and drivers are avoiding it and asked the commuters to come in another bus.

Revathi of Devanesa Nagar said, now since the buses are not stopping here we need to walk about a kilometre and board the bus at the Perungalathur bus stop. Even in Perungalathur, the buses are not stopping at the stopping point and the drivers are stopping at places comfortable for them. Many buses are stopping even before the signal.

The commuters said that since the buses are not properly operated they are forced to spend money and travel in a share auto. The women said that after the announcement of free travel for women in whiteboard buses all the buses are hesitating to stop and making them run behind the bus.

When contacted, an official from the Transport Department said that he will look into the issue and make sure that all the drivers are stopping at the bus stop. Necessary action will be taken if they skip the bus stop regularly, he added.