CHENNAI: The temporary bus terminus set up at Avadi, opposite the old bus stand, continues to rankle commuters due to the absence of basic facilities and frequent congestion affecting thousands who depend on it.
There are no public toilets, drinking water points or clearly demarcated boarding areas, while buses enter and exit through a narrow access.
“There is no drinking water or toilet facility here. By evening, the place turns dark and it keeps us on the edge,” said Saranya, a regular commuter.
Operations were shifted to the temporary site after the old Avadi bus stand was taken up for redevelopment worth Rs 36 crore that includes modern, multi-storey bus terminus with improved passenger amenities. While the project is expected to take at least two years, commuters say the interim arrangement has not been planned for long-term use.
Activist Augustine Roy Rozario, who wrote to the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) highlighting the issues, said treating the facility as “a short-term stopgap, instead of a long-term usage” had led to avoidable hardship.
In its reply dated January 5, MTC said the temporary terminus has adequate space and essential amenities, and that internal depressions have been levelled. It also stated that cement concreting was not possible as the land belongs to a private entity, JAK City.
However, Roy pointed out that the lack of space continues to create bottlenecks, with more buses being routed inside than the space can accommodate.
Commuters also suggested that buses be allowed to stop outside the temporary terminus, as was done earlier, to ease congestion and reduce delays. They called for temporary but essential infrastructure, including levelled internal roads, adequate shelters, lighting and public toilets. “These are not permanent demands. They are minimum requirements when thousands depend on this terminus every day,” they said.