Budalur Taluk bus booths remain dysfunctional. Residents require upgrades

Budalur Taluk bus station is in a dysfunctional state and is encroached on fish suppliers without regular bus services. |Picture source: R. Vengadesh

For more than a decade, the Budaltal Taruk bus station has remained largely dysfunctional, with minimal bus service and insufficient facilities. Despite being located near major infrastructure such as the Budalur Railway Station and Thirukattupalli Government Academy of Arts, the bus station has not achieved its intended purpose, prompting a revival and upgrade of residents and activists.

Residents complain that buses rarely enter the stands, which is encroached by suppliers, especially on Sunday sellers, which are unusable for commuters. The activists pointed out that although Budalur has bus routes connecting three regions of Tiruchi, Pudukkottai and thanjavur, it does not have a functional taluk-class bus terminal.

Kannan NV, district secretary of Vivasayigal Sangam in Tamil Nadu, recalled that the Budalur Bus booth was once a major hub for commuters before the construction of Overbridge. “During the bridge construction, the bus was transferred. But even after completion, the bus was still skipping the stance.”

“We have had many protests asking the buses to enter the stance. Sometimes they last for a day or two, but it will never last. Now the bus stops about half a kilometre at Budalur Four Four Road Junction.” said C. Basakar, secretary of Budalur Taluk of the Communist Party of India (Marxism). He said the bus stops have become essentially a market, especially on weekends, so it’s hard for commuters to use the space.

An official from the Ministry of Rural Development said the embezzlement was a lasting problem and had repeatedly warned those responsible. “If funds are obtained, we are ready to upgrade the existing bus stations.”