CHENNAI: Poor maintenance and encroachments at the Nandivaram-Guduvancheri bus terminus have irked commuters as buses struggle to enter the terminus and stop on the National Highway, creating traffic congestion.
Over 70 government and private buses operate daily from the terminus to destinations including Tambaram, Koyambedu, Broadway, Avadi, Ambattur, Pozhichalur, T Nagar, Kottamedu, Sembakkam, Nellikuppam and Keerapakkam.
However, residents said that the bus terminus is now in a neglected condition, with inadequate maintenance and poor lighting during night hours. More critically, access routes inside the terminus have been encroached upon by shops and parked vehicles, making it difficult for buses to enter, turn and exit.
As a result, several buses travelling between Tambaram and Chengalpattu avoid entering the terminus altogether. Instead, they stop on the national highway to pick up and drop off passengers, creating a lot of traffic.
The terminus has also reportedly turned into an unauthorised parking zone, with hundreds of two-wheelers, cars and goods vehicles occupying space meant for buses. This leaves little room for buses to park inside the facility.
When the terminus was constructed, more than 25 shops were built within the premises and leased out. Residents claim that some shopkeepers have extended beyond their allotted areas, stacking goods and effectively converting parts of the terminus into storage spaces.
When contacted, the Municipal officials said that since buses do not regularly enter the terminus, the premises remain vacant for long periods, leading to unauthorised parking. They said representations have been made to the transport department to ensure buses use the terminus properly. Officials also claimed that action was being initiated against shopkeepers who had encroached beyond allotted spaces and that arrangements were being made with the police to remove illegal parking.
Since the establishment of the Kilambakkam bus terminus, the 30-ward Nandivaram-Guduvancheri Municipality has been facing rapid growth. The town is also the key commercial centre for the 50 surrounding villages, providing access to suburban train services and buses to Chennai, Chengalpattu, and other destinations for work and education.
Until seven years ago, there was no permanent bus terminus in Guduvancheri. Buses halted along the busy Chennai-Tiruchy National Highway to pick up and drop passengers, leading to severe traffic congestion.
Following persistent demands from residents, the State government constructed a new bus terminus on about two acres of government land near the national highway for Rs 2 crore. The facility became operational in 2019 and was handed over to the Municipality for maintenance.