A group of school students sought restoration of public transport facility through their village.
Accompanied by their parents, the natives of Sitherimedu ‘samathuvapuram’ hamlet presented a memorandum to the District Administration on Monday.
Talking to reporters, after submitting the memorandum, the students claimed that they were forced to trek a distance of around 2 to 3 km from their homes located in Thimmasamudhiram village panchayat on the Chennai-Bangalore National Highway to reach Vellaigate junction on Kancheepuram-Arakonam road to board public transport buses to reach their school. The return journey was just as trying.
Till few months ago, mini-bus services were operated via their hamlet to Kooram from Kancheepuram but this service was wound up.
“We have free bus passes but we have to walk a total of six hours every day to avail of them,” said V.Chithra, studying in government school at Kancheepuram.
Ekambaram, a daily wage construction worker, said buses used to pass through their hamlet in the past.
“A town bus service between Kancheepuram and Kooram was operated via Thimmasamudhiram and Sitherimedu. But 15 years ago, this service was withdrawn by the Corporation citing poor patronage and as well as National Highway development works.
Subsequently, this route was allotted to private bus operators and then landed in the laps of mini-bus operators,” he said.
Now, villagers either had to walk long distances or shell out hefty amounts to avail the services of diesel autorickshaws operated as share taxi services through their hamlet.
Thimmasamudhiram village panchayat president, A. Deena has also appealed to the District Administration seeking revival of public transport facility.
