More than one year has rolled on since the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa thrown open the iconic Yatri Nivas, located on the banks of the Kollidam at Panchakarai near Sri Ranganathasamy Temple in Srirangam. However, it is yet to get bus connectivity.
According to sources, the occupancy level of Yatri Nivas hovers around 80 per cent on weekends and 30 to 40 per cent on weekdays. It receives steady stream of devotees, who come to Srirangam from different parts of the country.
However, with the absence of bus stand or bus connectivity, reaching Yatri Nivas remains to be a tough task for the devotees.
It is situated about 1.5 km from Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Although there is no problem for the devotees, who commute by cars or buses, devotees, who come by public transport system or train, face the difficulties.
Either they have to walk or hire taxis or autorikshaws to reach Yatri Nivas. Moreover, there is hardly any autorikshaw available during the odd hours.
“The outstation devotees find it extremely difficult to reach the place. Creating bus facility is need of the hour. It will save money and energy for them,” said a caretaker of Yatri Nivas. It is said that bus facility would also help the Yatri Nivas to improve its occupancy rate. Not only outstation devotees but also those who live in the vicinity of Yatri Nivas face problems.
R. Nandini of Vadakku Vasal (North Gate) in Srirangam said it was a tiresome exercise to reach her relative’s house near Yatri Nivas as no bus was available on Kollidam Flood Bank route. Moreover, there was no bus facility for interior parts of Srirangam.
Recollecting the proposal mooted by the Tiruchi City Corporation to construct a bus stand near Yatri Nivas a few years ago, local residents said it had been still pending.
Although a land had been identified for setting up the bus stand, it had not firmed up to start the project, which is said to be a need of the hour. Not even a single meeting of the civic body in the recent past has passed without discussing the proposed new bus stand at Panjakarai in Srirangam.
However, officials had been promising councillors time and again that the project would get momentum once they received green signal from the State government.
