Bus services on EB Road continue to elude

There had been many instances of intervention by the district administration and Regional Transport Office authorities on resuming bus services on East Boulevard Road in the city. But it is still elus

There had been many instances of intervention by the district administration and Regional Transport Office authorities on resuming bus services on East Boulevard Road in the city. But it is still elusive. Unlike West Boulevard Road, a parallel road in the city, East Boulevard Road is surrounded by thickly populated residential colonies and urban slums. According to a rough estimate, nearly one-tenth of the city population lives along both sides of East Boulevard Road. A large number of people commute to various places from the habitations along EB Road. It has been a centre of lorry booking offices to transport various items booked by the people and traders to different parts of the country. According to sources, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has to operate 15 services and the private operators 33 services a day on East Boulevard Road. But, none of them operate on the designated route. Instead, they regularly operate on West Boulevard Road. In the absence of bus services, residents have been left with the options of travelling in their own vehicles or walk. For the residents, who want to go to Central Bus Stand or Railway Junction, they need to walk for two to three km to board buses on West Boulevard Road. If they want to travel towards Srirangam, they need to walk more to catch buses on Madurai Road.