Buses ignore rural Somanahalli & Periyampatti, villagers hold protest

Locals say buses take NH, leaving daily wagers to spend ₹100 on auto or lose their livelihood

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Dharmapuri

RESIDENTS of Somanahalli and Periyampatti are distressed that private buses bypass their villages by using the national highway. Late on Tuesday, residents stopped over seven buses in Periyampatti in protest, demanding an explanation.

Private buses going to Krishnagiri or Hosur have two designated routes. One runs along NH 44, where buses have to pass through Periyampatti, or another route that accesses NH 844, making a detour via Pulikarai and Palacode to reach Hosur.

However, over the past year, many private buses have been failing to follow the designated route, leaving commuters stranded. On Tuesday, residents of Periyampatti waylaid over seven buses, disrupted traffic for over two and a half hours, and staged a protest blocking NH 44.