Chennai: Passangers seek return of government buses to Koyambedu

CHENNAI: Nearly 30 months after the opening of the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT), Kilambakkam, passengers travelling on government buses to southern districts have renewed their demand for shifting long-distance services back to the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) in Koyambedu, arguing that they are being unfairly disadvantaged compared to passengers using private omnibuses.

The demand has gained traction following the Madras High Court’s June 5 order quashing the State Transport Authority’s (STA) restriction on south-bound omnibuses entering Chennai city beyond Kilambakkam. The ruling effectively allows omnibuses to continue operating from multiple locations within the city, a practice they had been following under interim court protection since February 2024.

Passengers say the judgment has highlighted the disparity between those travelling on private and public transport networks. While omnibus passengers can board buses from convenient locations across Chennai, those relying on government-run transport corporations are forced to travel all the way to Kilambakkam, often involving multiple modes of transport, higher costs, and considerable inconvenience.

The Kilambakkam terminus was inaugurated on December 30, 2023, with the aim of decongesting city traffic by shifting both government and private buses operating via GST Road from Koyambedu. State Express Transport Corporation services to southern districts were moved immediately, while all State Transport Undertaking buses operating through Chengalpattu were shifted from January 24, 2024.

The STA had sought to ensure that both public and private operators functioned from the same terminal. In an order issued on January 22, 2024, it directed southbound omnibuses not to operate beyond Kilambakkam, warning that parallel operations from within Chennai would lead to unfair competition and substantial revenue losses for state transport corporations.

However, omnibus operators challenged the order before the Madras High Court. On February 9, 2024, Justice RN Manjula granted interim relief, allowing them to continue using facilities in the city while directing that buses halt at Kilambakkam for passenger pick-up and drop. The arrangement continued for more than two years before Justice V Lakshminarayanan struck down the STA order this month, holding that authorities could not selectively prohibit only south-bound omnibuses from entering Chennai.

With the legal dispute settled in favour of private operators, passengers travelling by government buses say the original justification for shifting services to Kilambakkam has weakened considerably.

“The government shifted the boarding point to Kilambakkam saying all south-bound services would operate from one location. Now omnibuses are continuing from the city while only government bus passengers are made to travel to Kilambakkam,” said a commuter who frequently travels to Tirunelveli.

Passengers point out that connectivity issues continue to plague KCBT. Although Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation initially operated arriving buses up to Tambaram railway station to facilitate connectivity with suburban trains and city buses, the service was discontinued in March 2025 following concerns raised by Tambaram traffic police over congestion.

Since then, passengers arriving late at night at Kilambakkam have been forced to depend on expensive cab rides, metropolitan buses, or suburban trains to reach destinations within Chennai.

Infrastructure projects intended to improve access to the terminus have also failed to keep pace. The proposed railway station between Urapakkam and Guduvanchery, announced as a key connectivity component for KCBT, remains on paper. Work on the skywalk connecting the proposed station to the bus terminus is still under progress, while passengers continue to face difficulties crossing the busy GST Road.

The issue has triggered widespread criticism on social media. In a post on X, a passenger, Varun P, questioned why travellers heading to Koyambedu or Madhavaram should be forced to alight at Kilambakkam in the early hours with luggage. Another commuter, Saravanakumar, recalled paying Rs 975 for a cab after being dropped at Kilambakkam late at night while returning from Coimbatore, an amount he said exceeded the cost of his bus ticket.

Passenger groups and transport activists now want the government to revisit the decision, arguing that if private operators are allowed to offer boarding points in the city, similar convenience should be extended to passengers using Staterun transport services. Many are demanding that long-distance government bus operations be restored to Koyambedu, saying the present arrangement imposes an avoidable burden on lakhs of passengers travelling to and from southern districts every year.

Sources in the Transport department said that the government is likely to appeal against the Madras High Court order allowing omnibuses operating from the city.