Chennai: Choked by encroachments, traffic snarls and inadequate facilities, the Tambaram bus terminus is set for a complete overhaul. Tambaram City Municipal Corporation has earmarked 7 crore to modernise and decongest the transport hubs before the onset of monsoon.With Tambaram as the origin point, more than 500 bus trips operate daily to areas such as Padappai, Maraimalai Nagar, Walajabad, Naduveerapattu, Somangalam, Nallur, Sriperumbudur, and core city areas such as Anna Nagar, catering to more than 10,000 commuters every day. Despite the heavy footfall, unauthorised vendors occupy large portions of the terminus premises, making it difficult for free movement.
V Saritha, secretary of Ganesh Nagar residents’ welfare association, said, “The bus terminus lacks basic facilities. There is one public toilet near the market, which is not cleaned regularly despite being a paid facility. The buses are often parked one after another in a haphazard way, blocking traffic. While planning the terminus upgrade, corporation should create enough space and ensure that buses are parked properly.” Tambaram corporation commissioner S Balachander said, “We are assessing ways to remove encroachments and decongest the traffic on Grand Southern Trunk Road. We floated tenders for the restoration, and the work is set to begin in April. We plan to complete the work before the onset of monsoon.”Officials said that the upgrade will include a new roof, more lighting, and installation of CCTV cameras. Only registered stalls will be permitted to operate inside the terminus, and strict action will be taken against unauthorised vendors, they said.V Santhanam, an activist from Chromepet, said, “In many areas, there are no bus shelters, especially after Selaiyur and Camp Road. People stand in the hot sun and wait for long hours.” He added, “Corporation is missing out on generating revenue by placing ads on bus shelters. Similar to Chennai corporation, Tambaram corporation must focus on medians, hoardings, and street lights.”
