The bus stop near Ayyappan temple on Second Avenue Main Road near Anna Nagar Roundtana seems to have been made out of bounds for commuters.
A row of steel barricades prevent commuters waiting at the stop from boarding the buses. Commuters point out that though the police undertook this measure with good intentions, it is not helping them one bit.
Recently, to prevent autorickshaw drivers from parking along the bus bay, police erected barricades but they have not been placed in such a way that would ensure access to commuters. The result is a majority of the commuters can be seen waiting infront of the barricades, which can be dangerous as this is a busy road with a heavy volume of vehicles.
Post completion of the metro rail work in Anna Nagar, two-way traffic arrangement was re-introduced and bus stops were restored. The Ayyappan temple bus stop also got a facelift this way.
It has seating, lighting and even route numbers of buses are displayed. All buses from Anna Nagar west, Mogappair East and West and Ambattur halt at the stop.
“Though we are happy that autorickshaws no longer block our way as we board buses at the bus stop, barricades should not block our access to buses from the bus stop,” said B. Prema, a commuter from Anna Nagar.
With the arrangement, commuters have to walk till the end of the long line barricades and get on to the bus.
Senior citizens, in particular, are complaining about the arrangement. Also, due to barricades, buses either halt ahead or faraway from the bus stop making commuters to run and board buses.
With the barricades in places autorickshaws might have put to bay but one can spot two-wheelers using the space to park their vehicles.
“Steps will be taken to re-locate the barricades a little further away from the bus stop soon,” police sources said.
