The platforms of Mattuthavani Integrated Bus Stand are lined with stalls selling stacks of sweets and savouries. Vendors are quick to catch the fleeting glance of hungry passers-by on large mounds of murukus and mixture and capitalise on it. Employees, who call out to customers, explain the variety on offer. Fruit and jasmine sellers too practise similar techniques.
S. Ramesh is one such worker. He is temporarily employed to arrange the bundles of knick-knacks every morning, sweep the floor and call out to customers to lure them to the shop. Every day, he tries to make the shop look better than the others, flouting one rule or the other in the process.
“Usually, these people never keep their wares inside the stipulated distance of three feet. They only clear the premises when Corporation authorities visit as they fear raids. Unless they are warned or evicted, nothing can change,” says a police official at the bus stand. Traders, however, claim to strictly follow the guidelines. Small stalls continue to have gas stoves despite not procuring a Dangerous and Offensive (D&O) trade licence from the local body.
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The fragile doors of the health centre is under lock and key. In the breastfeeding rooms, which have pouches that are supposed to contain oral rehydration solution lie barren. The switches in the room are barely functional. The walls are lined with betel nut spit stains and the toilet is poorly maintained.
Almost no change has come about since Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar’s inspection on June 12. Women self-help groups, which are supposed to maintain the toilets on the platforms, continue to hand over contracts to other individuals who pocket the income. P. Balu, who handles accounts in one of the pay-and-use toilets, claims to be an employee on contract. Others refute it. Karthi, who is treated like a ‘contractor’ by workers, says that he takes care of toilets only in the absence of his wife.
“It is not safe for my wife to take care of the place at night,” he says.
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Passengers complain that the toilets are poorly maintained. R Muthukalyani, a resident of Madurai, says that the toilets have been ill-maintained for long.
“The authorities have not taken charge of toilets for a long time. But conservancy workers are cleaning the area more regularly,” she says.
The omni bus stand too shares a similar plight. Mr. Aneesh Sekhar says that a meeting will soon be conducted to review the working of SHGs at the bus stand. There will also be surprise checks.
“Usually, when we go for checks, they are vigilant. More checks will soon be conducted,” he says.