Passengers using the bus shelter in Tiruverumbur town, an important stoppage for town and mofussil buses, are now a relieved lot as there are steel benches now to sit and rest their feet.
Until a few months ago, most of the benches were damaged, forcing elderly and sick passengers to sit on the floor.
In the absence of proper seating facility, a section of passengers bound for delta districts waited on the side of the main carriageway to board the buses. On their part, the drivers did not feel any compulsion to pass through the lane abutting the bus shelter.
It was after several representations from public welfare organisations that the town and mofussil buses passed through the shelter. While appreciating the replacement of the damaged benches, passengers still express discomfort over absence of toilets.
According to local traders, 1,500 single trips are being made daily by mofussil buses between Tiruchi and various destinations in delta districts through Tiruverumbur town.
After representations were made by voluntary groups to the Corporation to integrate the suburb into the Swachh Bharat initiative, Namma Toilet was installed in the vicinity.
But not many are aware of its existence, though the user-friendly toilet is accessible to all type of users, including the differently abled, said Balakrishnan, a trader.
It would have been proper had the old MLA office building that was contiguous to the bus shelter had been converted into a toilet complex for the convenience of passengers. It is incomprehensible why the authorities thought it fit to simply demolish the building rather than putting it to best use, he added.
