Broadway bus terminus redevelopment delayed, commuters forced to use old terminus lacking basic infrastructure
The redevelopment plans include the construction of a nine-storey parking facility and an eight-storey terminal with commercial space.
Broadway bus terminus
CHENNAI: Despite the burgeoning crowd of travellers, the long pending redevelopment of the Broadway bus terminus that was planned at a cost of Rs 822.70 crore is yet to be implemented.
According to a report in The Hindu, approved in 2024 under the Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam, the project aims to upgrade the old facility into a modern multi-modal transport complex.
The redevelopment plans include the construction of a nine-storey parking facility and an eight-storey terminal with commercial space. However, the redevelopment has been delayed for several years, forcing commuters to crowd the existing terminus.
While plans were made to temporarily shift the operations to a location near the Royapuram railway station, residents questioned the feasibility of the plan. The locals noted that moving an entire bus fleet would be an impossible task as Beach Road and Prakasam Road, which are significant junctions, are already choking with traffic congestion.
The terminus which falls under the jurisdiction of the Chennai Corporation might get a revamp only if the civic body instructs the MTC to vacate the premises, sources said. Meanwhile, locals suggest that moving the bus operations to Island Grounds and renting an adjacent plot owned by the Pachaiyappas Educational Trust as a temporary solution could help ease the problem.
It may be noted that the project’s funding includes contributions of Rs 200 crore from Chennai Metro Rail Limited, Rs 115 crore from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, and Rs 506 crores from the Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
Officials pointed out that the main reason behind the project being stalled was the Chennai Corporation not transferring the required land. Regarding the temporary relocation of the terminus to a three-acre plot on Ibrahim Street in the Royapuram, officials said that over 200 vendors have already shifted to the new site and the move could happen by December 2025.
