Public complain of no direct bus in key Vellore route

Former AIADMK MLA J Parandhaman who brought this to the Vellore TNSTC (TN State Transport Corporation) officials’ notice was taken aback when they said that they have not received any complaint so far from the public regarding the issue. Talking to DT Next, Parandhanam said, “Share autorickshaws charge Rs 10 for the stretch, which is less than a kilometre, between the collector’s office and the new bus stand, while normal autorickshaws charge Rs 50 for the same distance.”

Though mofussil buses bound for Arakkonam, Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruttani ply via Collector’s office, they refuse to pick up passengers “as they charge Rs.20 for that distance” informed a mofussil bus conductor on condition of anonymity.

Parandhaman says, “Even if a minimum of 200 persons visit the collector’s office daily, the cash-strapped Villupuram division of the TNSTC can easily earn Rs 3,200 a day by charging a fare of Rs 8 in both the directions.”

People bound for the new bus stand are forced to take a detour via the old bus stand through Arcot Road and from there, take another bus to the new bus stand. By this way, the fare adds up to Rs 16. “Thus, passengers pay Rs 10 to go to new bus stand directly in share autorickshaws which results in loss for the TNSTC,” Parandhaman added.

Selvaraghavan, a local resident, wonders, “Why the TNSTC has not thought of filling this gap even though their Vellore head office is less than a kilometre from the collector’s office?”