With just two government bus services, that accepts student bus passes, available from the western parts of the Tirunelveli district to reach their college from home and vice versa, the students of Gandhi Nagar Rani Anna Government College for Women are forced to risk their lives by travelling on the footboard of the buses and shell out at least Rs 50 per day towards bus fare.
Speaking to Express, a college staff, wishing anonymity, said, "Though there are around 4,200 students studying in our college, they can travel on only two government buses, that ply between Alangulam and Tirunelveli via Gandhi Nagar, using the bus passes. In the past several years, the number of girl students coming from the western parts, including Alangulam, Pavoorchatram, and Tenkasi had increased considerably. But the pitiful state of the students remains unchanged."
According to the students, buses 43D and 43L are the only two buses that let students travel using their bus passes. A student from Alangulam told Express that students hardly get any seats to sit at the two buses are always packed with passengers. "We have morning and evening class sessions in our college. While coming to the college and returning to the home, students have access to these two buses.
As these buses are invariably overcrowded with passengers by the time it reaches Gandhi Nagar, it is a herculean task for us to even get a place to stand. So, we have to travel on the footboard," the student rued. She added that the students who miss these two buses have to board on limited-stop service (LSS) and super-fast service (SFS) buses, by paying Rs 25 as fare. Hence, they demand at least five government buses to be operated between Gandhi Nagar and Alangulam.
Another girl student rued that the authorities of the district administration and the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) did not pay heed to their repeated petitions seeking additional buses. "If TNSTC does not have additional buses to operate in the route, they should at least permit us to travel on other government buses using our passes," the girl added.
When Express contacted, Samuthiram, Manager of the Commercial Wing of TNSTC, Tirunelveli, said that he would conduct an inspection in the Alangulam - Tirunelveli Junction bus route and take necessary action.