Bus shelter to be built at Mannarpuram

A new bus shelter near Mannarpuram, funded by MP Durai Vaiko, aims to enhance comfort for commuters on the highway.

Meeting a felt need of bus passengers, a bus shelter is to be built soon along the service road on the Madurai-Tiruchi National Highway near the Mannarpuram roundabout in the city.

The shelter is to be built with about ₹60 lakh sanctioned by Durai Vaiko, Tiruchi Member of Parliament, from his MP’s Local Area Development Fund.

The roundabout had 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, rather than going up to the IBT.

Mofussil buses pick the passengers from impromptu halts along the service road on the Madurai-Tiruchi National Highway, alongside the Mannarpuram flyover. However, in the absence of bus shelters on this stretch, passengers were exposed to vagaries of nature. The problem was first highlighted in The Hindu.

Following persistent public demands, Mr. Durai Vaiko inspected the spot along with National Highways Authority of India and Corporation officials in November last year and subsequently sanctioned funds from his MP’s Local Area Development Fund.

On Friday, he unveiled the foundation stone for the construction of the shelter. Mr. Durai Vaiko told The Hindu that the shelter would be big enough to accommodate about 150 persons. It would have seating arrangements for the waiting passengers, he said.