Many litigants forced to walk 6 km to court complex near Tiruvannamalai due to lack of bus stop

Buses, including those operated by the T.N. government do not stop at the court complex on the Cuddalore-Chittoor Highway as there is no permanent bus stop there, forcing litigants, court staff, advocates and even magistrates to hire autorickshaws or walk several kilometres every day

The lack of a bus stop at the renovated Combined Court Complex in Murugapady village near Polur town in Tiruvannamalai district is forcing a section of litigants to trek at least 6 km from Polur town, to get to the court.

Buses, including those operated by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) do not stop at the court complex on the Cuddalore-Chittoor Highway as there is no permanent bus stop there. Currently, buses halt at the terminus in Polur town, a distance of around 6 km to the court. Litigants, court staff and advocates have to travel in autorickshaws or walk to reach the court every day. “Even judicial magistrates, who come from Vellore by bus, have to hire an autorickshaw from Polur town to reach the court. Poor litigants simply walk from the town to the court,” said V.C. Dinakaran, former president, Polur Bar Association.

Over 100 court staff and 150 advocates travel in autorickshaws in small groups or on two-wheelers to the court, daily. 

Every day, on an average, more than 500 litigants from remote villages in Polur and Kalasapakkam taluks of the district visit the court complex, which comprises the court of the judicial magistrate, the district munsif court and a sub-court. Polur and Kalasapakkam taluks have 196 villages and 46 villages under them, respectively.

Prior to the opening of the sub-court last year, litigants had to travel to Arani or Tiruvannamalai towns, around 60 km from villages in these taluks, to go to the sub-court there. Now, the facility is available at the court complex near Polur town, but without public transport access to it.

Court officials said a series of meetings were held between advocates, court staff, revenue and TNSTC officials to stop buses at the court complex. A month ago, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), Tiruvannamalai, ordered the halt of all buses at the court complex. A group of advocates and litigants had even blocked the main road to highlight their plight a few days ago. “Based on revenue collection, only Polur town and Keelur village, a distance of around 15 km, have bus stops. A new bus stop should be decided by the Collector,” S. Natesan, Deputy General Manager, TNSTC, Tiruvannamalai, told The Hindu.