Work to build satellite inter-city bus terminal at Madhavaram under way.

Passengers who often endure traffic congestion at Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus at Koyambedu, may soon have some respite. Work has started on constructing the satellite inter-city bus terminal on GNT Road at Madhavaram to shift some of the bus services from Koyambedu.

The bus terminal is coming at an eight-acre space within Madhavaram truck terminal at a cost of Rs.32 crore. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is developing the bus terminal with funds from Infrastructure and Amenities Charges. Once the project to establish Madhavaram bus terminal is completed, Andhra Pradesh bound buses will be operated from there, instead of Koyambedu.

According to sources, this move will help decongest the stretch of Jawaharlal Nehru Salai at Koyambedu CMBT. At present, nearly 35 buses to Andhra Pradesh are being operated by State Express Transport Corporation alone apart from those operated by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Villupuram.

While welcoming the move, residents of Madhavaram raised concerns about the terminal adding to the already congested stretch of Grand Northern Trunk Road. Though it would ease the burden of the passengers of north Chennai from travelling to Koyambedu, residents noted that the area was already used as a parking space by several trucks.

At present, the Madhavaram truck terminal, in which the proposed bus terminal is going to come up, has a capacity to park about 300 vehicles. Nearly 600 vehicles are parked on the road corners in Madhavaram, Manali, Red Hills and Retteri as most of them are out of business due to demonetisation move, said lorry operators.

R.Sugumar, president of Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation, said the new bus terminal may add to the congestion in Madhavaram. An 11-acre space has been developed at Manjambakkam for the truck terminal. But it is inadequate. Another terminal has been allotted in Karunakacheri. The government may provide an alternate site in Madhavaram Milk Colony or Chinna Mathur until terminals are ready in other places. This would also ensure smooth flow of traffic when the new inter-city bus terminal starts functioning next year.

THE HINDU