Residents welcome revival of Srirangam bus terminus plan

‘Set up a terminus for city buses and another for tourist and mofussil vehicles’

Appreciating the Tiruchi Corporation’s move to revive a proposal to establish a bus terminus in Srirangam, residents of the temple town hope that the plan would see the light of the day at least now.

Welcoming the Corporation’s Budget announcement on establishing a bus terminus at Srirangam, residents point out that it has been a felt need for long and the proposal was more than a decade old. “We hope that the project will be implemented this financial year and not remain just on paper,” says Suresh Venkatachalam, president, Srirangam Nagara Nala Sangam.

The town with a population of more than a lakh attracts a large floating population. Nearly 300 tourist vehicles visit the town on an average every day. During festivals at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, there is a huge influx of devotees and vehicles. In the absence of a proper terminus, buses halt along the roadside. Tourist vehicles can also be seen parked along the roadside or have to depend on a paid private parking lot on Melur Road.

The Corporation unveiled a plan to build a bus stand near Yatri Nivas on Panchakarai on the banks of Coleroon river in 2012-13. It even earmarked ₹9 crore for the project but failed to pursue it. The proposal was revived in 2019 but the civic body later discarded the site as unsuitable and started scouting for alternative sites. However, the civic body is yet to narrow down on a suitable site.

Mr. Venkatachalam suggests that two separate facilities – a terminus for city buses and another for tourist/ mofussil vehicles transporting devotees – be established in the town. “The terminus for town buses can be established at Srirangam Club land which was reclaimed by the Corporation recently. The adjacent public park can be annexed to the club land for setting up the facility. Alternatively, the Corporation commercial complex, opposite to Raghavendra Arch, can be considered,” says Mr.Venkatachalam. The place from where the city buses operate now is situated amid unhygienic surroundings and lacks basic amenities, he adds.

N. Ramakrishnan, a civic activist and founder, MGR Narpani Mandram, says the bus terminus should be established in the vicinity of the rajagopuram of the Ranganathaswamy temple. “A bus terminus for Srirangam is a must. We appreciate the decision of Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru and Mayor M. Anbazhagan. There are temple lands around the rajagopuram and if necessary, some extent of private land can be acquired for establishing the terminus,” he says.

However, a section of residents feel that the Corporation should adopt a transparent approach in identifying the site for the terminus. “The civic body should hold consultations with the residents, the main stakeholders, before finalising the site,” insists Mr.Venkatachalam.