CM’s visit causes traffic chaos in Trichy, bus passengers suffer

Trichy: The maiden visit to Trichy by chief minister Joseph Vijay after assuming office triggered a traffic chaos in the city on Monday. With city buses terminating operations midway due to traffic diversions enforced by the Trichy city police, passengers were forced to walk for kilometers to board connecting buses. Chathiram bus terminus, a key hub of city buses, was closed for the CM’s visit, irking the public.The TVK event was organized at St Joseph’s College ground near Chathiram bus stand to thank the voters of Trichy East constituency that elected CM by a margin of 27,416 votes. Only 5,000 people were permitted by the party. Though the meeting was scheduled to commence from 4pm, police announced traffic diversions as early as 10am, attracting criticisms.Instead of terminating and commencing operations at Chathiram bus terminus, both TNSTC and private city buses halted near Holy Cross College and near Mambalasalai, Srirangam. “I was not aware of traffic diversions. A fellow passenger advised me to walk for 4km to board the connecting bus at the Main guard gate,” S Shanthi, a passenger from Ariyalur said.Several families with children walked their way to temporary boarding points between Srirangam and Main guard gate through the Cauvery bridge. Some opted for autorickshaws to escape the sultry weather.“G Corner railway ground and Mannarpuram military ground could have been used, they are closer to the airport and highways,” T Selvaraj, an auto driver said.Police claimed that shuttle bus services were operated between the temporary halting points to help passengers. “Chathiram bus stand was open till 12.30pm, even when it was closed, TNSTC operated shuttle buses. The crowd was higher than expected. We had to divert the traffic,” N Kamini, commissioner of police, Trichy city, told TOI.Police, however, refused to comment upon the choice of the venue.Earlier, the CM arrived at Trichy airport on a special flight and conducted an informal roadshow through Wireless road, KK Nagar, and Mannarpuram areas, necessitating the traffic diversions.