Manapparai, a strategically located municipality in the district, which is 40 km from here, is badly in need of a new bus stand.
V.Shantha, chairperson of the municipality, points out that the existing bus stand was constructed in 1981. More than 300 buses pass through it every day. As Manapparai is close to important cities such as Tiruchi, Madurai and Dindigul, and as buses towards big towns such as Palani, Cumbum, and Kumuli pass through this stand, it’s always abuzz with passengers. The chairperson expressed anguish over the accidents that occurred at the bus stand.
The existing bus stand is ‘C’ class with poor facilities. Water supply and lighting are poor. The roads within the bus stand are bad and the number of toilets too is insufficient. Ms.Shantha points out that a 40-year-old canvassing agent of a transport corporation was killed when the sunshade of the passengers’ rest room in the bus stand fell on him in May 1994. The Principal District Judge, Tiruchi, has awarded damages to the tune of Rs.1lakh to his family which the municipality has to shell out now.
As the municipality has sufficient land for constructing a new bus stand – about two acres – it has already come out with a proposal at an estimate of Rs.3 crore. The new facility will be constructed with a shopping complex and all other basic requirements so that it could be upgraded to ‘B’ class.
