CHENNAI: Over two years after the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus at Kilambakkam became operational, weak enforcement by authorities and limited on-ground action by the traffic police have allowed private omni bus operators to continue picking up passengers along GST Road, defeating the purpose of the facility and exposing gaps in coordination between agencies.
Despite warning banners put up by the Tambaram traffic police threatening strict action against unauthorised pickups, private omni buses routinely halt outside the terminus to pick up passengers, contributing to congestion on the busy GST Road.
Drivers cite operational delays as the reason for avoiding the terminus. “It will take at least 30 minutes if we enter the terminus for pickup. Moreover, many passengers wait outside,” said a driver.
Passengers, however, say operators themselves direct them to roadside pickup points, leaving them stranded outside even as the terminus remains underutilised. “The buses arrive beyond the boarding time. There is no shelter or toilet outside. I had to depend on nearby hotels,” said Sakunthala, a passenger.
The prolonged practice has not only inconvenienced commuters but has also resulted in revenue loss for the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), which levies a fee of Rs 150 each time a private omni bus enters the terminus. While KCBT officials and Omni Bus Associations maintain that several major operators use the facility, non-compliance by many others continues.
Field observations show multiple omni buses lining up along the corridor, with police personnel periodically clearing vehicles to ease congestion. “You can see 10 buses stacked up and being asked to move quickly, but most of them do not enter the terminus, at least on weekends,” said a hotel staff member near the facility.
“All reputed operators use the terminus, but some do not,” said Anbalagan, president of the All-Omni Bus Owners Association. “We insist that operators function from inside. But during festival seasons, pickups are allowed outside, which gives them flexibility.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Tambaram City, Samay Singh Meena, said traffic police intervention was limited to managing congestion. “Buses stopping outside are cleared quickly. Our priority is to avoid traffic bottlenecks. Ensuring compliance with terminus rules rests with KCBT authorities. We cannot regulate bus by bus,” he said.
KCBT officials, in turn, pointed to enforcement gaps outside the terminus. Responding to questions on steps taken despite continued revenue loss, DRO C Paul Princely Rajkumar, overseeing KCBT, said the authority had been seeking tighter regulation.
We’ve been insisting on better enforcement by the police. Since this happens outside the terminus, the police and the Regional Transport Office must ensure such violations do not occurPaul Princely Rajkumar
With the issue continuing beyond two years regarding consistent enforcement of designated pickup norms, Kilambakkam bus terminus remains a work in progress.