Free buses for devotees stranded at Tiruchendur: Minister SS Sivasankar

TIRUCHY: Devotees stranded at Tiruchendur Temple would be sent to their respective places by free bus services, said Transport Minister SS Sivasankar in Ariyalur on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, the Minister said, the TNSTC has been operating buses to the flood-hit southern districts and the number of services have been increased gradually in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari.

There is information that the devotees are stranded in Tiruchendur Lord Subramania Swamy Temple for the past three days and the state government has commenced the free bus service to transport the stranded devotees to their respective places, said the Minister.

A section of devotees struggling along Tirunelveli–Tiruchendur road due to flooding would be taken to the Tiruchendur temple and then sent to their places by free bus services, he added.

Several buses were submerged in the depots across the flood-hit districts and officials are involved in enumerating the damages. The extent of damage would be known only after the completion of assessment process, the Minister added.

Stating that 95 per cent transport has resumed in the districts like Kanniyakumari and Tenkasi, the Transport Minister said, the road services have been returning to normalcy in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli.