Poor bus connectivity hits bicycle-friendly Green Park

The absence of proper bus connectivity to Panchapur Green Park, situated on the city outskirts, has been affecting the patronage of the facility. As only people with own vehicles could visit the park at ease, families particularly with kids depending upon public transportation are at loss, since the Green Park facility lacks a designated bus stop and frequent bus service.
Citing the fact that the city has got very limited places for leisure, Trichy Corporation in 2013 utilising around 23 acres of triangular land, belonging to the civic body situated near Trichy-Madurai highway in Panchapur, developed a Green Park.

Constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crores, a kilometre-long bicycle track was also established in the park. The track remained unused for the past few years after which in August 2017 the civic body procured 10 bicycles for visitors to enjoy calm ride free of cost.

Being the costliest park in city limit, the civic body has planned to procure 10 more bi-cycles to increase patronage of the park. But poor connectivity of city buses for locals, steals the crowd pulling potential of the Green Park. "Thus far, buses have been halting on Madurai highway. We have to walk a long distance to reach the park in the city outskirts. If a bus stop was established near the park campus, more people would throng the park every day," P Jayalakshmi, a resident from Mannarpuram, who was visiting the park said.

TNSTC sources said that no request was placed by the Trichy Corporation to halt fleets at the Panchapur Green Park.However, city buses plying to Mekkudi, based on the request of passengers have been making a stop at the Trichy-Madurai highway. "Large crowds have been visiting the park during weekends which prompted us to purchase new bi-cycles. If required, we would provide a bus stop facility near the Panchapur Green Park," a corporation official told TOI.

Source:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/poor-bus-connectivity-hits-bicycle-friendly-green-park/articleshow/61513084.cms