Rain exposes chinks in Kilambakkam terminus

CHENNAI: The Kilambakkam bus terminus constructed to control the traffic on the GST Road became a nightmare for the motorists plying via the arterial GST road thanks to the sudden downpour and poor traffic planning. The newly constructed terminus is flooded completely even when it rains for an hour affecting the traffic on the National Highway.

As more than five lakh square foot being covered by concrete, the storm water floods the entrance of the terminal and adjacent GST road due to poor ground water percolation.

Adding to the hydrology flaws, the National Highway again had heavily used cement along the centre median and the pavement denying the water its basic instinct of reaching ground water table, an official explained.

The construction of the terminal, began in 2018 at an estimate of Rs 380 crore, is almost complete and was slated to be inaugurated in June. Later it was postponed to July and now after another delay, it is expected to be held in September or even later.

However, sources said that the main reason for the delay in inaugurating the bus terminal is that it has been constructed without much planning. There are problems with the entry and exit of the buses as there is no separate way for the buses to enter the NH as it would create more traffic during peak hours. Due to the lack of a proper drainage system, water in the terminus will get to the NH chocking the traffic completely.

Locals here are complaining that there was no flooding in Kilambakkam before the construction of the terminus. Even in 2015, the rea witnessed no flooding, they said.

“The GST road is a nightmare during rains and several stretches of GST road is a death trap due to waterlogging in the bends and slopes. The state and National Highway authorities should study the entire road hydrology flow from Tambaram to Trichy,” said K Ravi, a tourist cab driver based in Chromepet.

Sources said that water from Iyanchery, Meenachipuram and Karanaipudichery are flowing through the Kilambakkam terminal and it cannot get through the other side of NH as there is no adequate culverts linking the rainwater with Urapakkam Lake.

To prevent flooding, the government had recently decided to construct culverts in the NH at four places. The estimated amount was 4.92 crore and also they planned to construct rainwater harvesting in several places. However, the plan did not go further as it’s very difficult to construct a culvert in the NH since the traffic will be affected badly.

When contacted, Chengalpattu district collector A.R. Rahul Nadh said that the State had planned to construct culverts in the NH and link them to the water tank, which is on the opposite side of the bus terminal. Taken up by the Chennai Metropolitan Development

ity (CMDA), the tender for the project was finalised recently.

The work will commence soon, Nadh sad adding that it will be done without affecting the traffic.