Chennai: All bus services from Tiruvallur town’s five-decade-old terminus will shift to a new and larger facility at Vedanginallur, 2km away, from Aug 10.The existing half-acre bus terminus accommodates only 10 buses, and its narrow entry and exit points cause daily congestion. It handles 72 Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) services operating around 356 trips every day, 61 Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) services operating about 520 trips, and 22 private buses making nearly 82 trips, and serves passengers travelling to Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet, Periyapalayam, Ponneri, Gummidipoondi and destinations, including Tirupati and Srikalahasti, in Andhra Pradesh, and Bengaluru in Karnataka.The new 5.5-acre terminus, built by Tiruvallur municipality at a cost of ₹36 crore, can accommodate 56 buses and includes commercial space for 100 shops, 400 two-wheelers and 50 cars. It also has five toilet blocks, including one exclusively for transgender persons, and other passenger amenities.Construction of the new terminus began in 2019. It was inaugurated on March 4, ahead of the Assembly elections, while work was still under way. Though all bus operations were planned to shift to the new terminus by March end, pending platform laying and sewage works delayed its full commissioning by six months.Collector S Kavitha said, “Once the new bus stop is operational, all town buses and MTC and TNSTC services to destinations including Avadi, Ambattur, Madhavaram, Chengunram, Uthukottai and Poondi will operate from the new terminus through the designated routes. Buses arriving from Koyambedu, Chengalpet, Tambaram, Poonamallee and Sriperumbudur will also use the new facility. No buses will operate from the old bus stand after Aug 10.”Resident-activist K Bhaskar said, “It is a welcome move by the govt; however, the main issue is that Tiruvallur, despite being a district headquarters, lags in inter-district connectivity. The long-distance connectivity only includes: Tiruvallur to Bengaluru – one service per day (TNSTC); Tiruvallur to Tirunelveli via Kancheepuram, Tindivanam – one service per day (SETC); Chennai to Tirupati buses that are passing through Tiruvallur. Despite complaints, no other buses to improve district connectivity have been introduced. The govt should take necessary action.”Resident T Robert said inadequate town bus services continue to force residents of nearly 20 surrounding villages to rely on autorickshaws or travel several kilometres to reach the nearest bus stop. “People often wait nearly an hour for buses. Improving local connectivity should be the next priority,” he said.
