Chennai: Just 24 years after launch, CMBT, once Asia’s biggest bus terminus, stares at oblivion. The complex at Koyambedu has fallen into neglect after a majority of intra- and inter- state bus services were shifted to Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus at Kilambakkam in 2024. When TOI visited CMBT on a recent weeknight, it had seven-odd SETC buses operating in peak hour, and little sign of police patrol. The terminus has turned into a shelter for guest workers and the homeless. Its bays are riddled with stench as people urinate and defecate in the open in the absence of well-maintained toilets. The platforms are littered with liquor bottles and garbage spillover.In its heyday, CMBT, spread across 33 acres, accommodated as many as 1,000 SETC and TNSTC buses, as well as buses operating from other southern states. On weekdays, it used to register between 5,000 and 8,000 bookings. But currently, only 300 bus services – to Bengaluru, Hosur, Salem, Dharmapuri and Tirupati – are operated from CMBT, resulting in a significant dip in footfall. “Currently, 100-odd passengers board buses from here on weekdays,” said a SETC official.
The desolation has triggered safety concerns among passengers and shopkeepers here. “A few nights ago, a miscreant tried to rob a passenger at knifepoint near the entrance. As hundreds of people sleep inside the terminus every night, it has become unsafe,” said S Murugan, who runs a shop here. “The desolate bus bays attract anti-social elements, making late-night travel daunting for women and solo passengers,” said S Keerthana, a native of Dharmapuri.Passengers also drew attention to the enforcement of arbitrary parking rules. K Mahesh Kumar, who came to drop his parents heading to Hosur by a 10.15 pm bus, said he was denied space to park his car. “The attendant informed me that parking was allowed only after 5 am and asked me to wait outside. Inside, I found many abandoned cars gathering dust,” he said.While a police officer from CMBT police station said mobile snatching and baggage theft are reported often, patrolling was seen only near the MTC bus terminus. Despite repeated attempts, A R Rahul Nadh, member secretary of CMDA, was unavailable for comment.
