Chengalpattu bus terminus to open by October; CMDA floats 15-year PPP tender

CHENNAI: The new Chengalpattu bus terminus, developed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) at a cost of Rs 120 crore, is expected to open by October, according to officials. The authority floated a tender to operate and maintain the facility for 15 years under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The terminal has been developed on a 10.20 acre parcel and has around 41 bus bays and 46,339 sq ft of retail space. The O-M concession covers the 5.52-acre terminal, not the depot.

The private concessionaire will have rights to revenue from the terminal's bus entry fees, retail space, advertising, parking and cloak room. It will also pay CMDA an annual concession fee, with the tender fixing Rs 10 lakh a year as the reserve price.

The tender proposes Rs 15 entry fee per bus/day, including GST. The CMDA estimates that around 1,050 buses will enter the terminal every day, including TNSTC, MTC, local and private buses. For other revenue sources, the concessionaire can determine rates for retail space, advertising and four-wheeler parking based on prevailing market rates. CMDA will retain control over bus entry fees, two-wheeler parking and cloak-room charges.

The operator will be responsible for the terminal’s day-to-day upkeep with a minimum of 70-person workforce. The commercial component includes 32 shops, besides a government canteen, supermarket, restaurant and cloak room.

The terminal also has additional retail space and about 29,170 sq ft of office space on the first floor. Parking has been provided for 368 two wheelers and 63 four wheelers. The private operator has pricing freedom for four-wheeler parking, but not for two-wheeler parking.

Speaking to the DT Next, Superintendent engineer Balamurugan said that the works and inauguration had been stalled due to the elections. “The final leg of work is happening and we can expect the terminus to be opened in two months,” he said.

Chengalpattu currently has both old and new bus stands, located in the heart of the town, leading to severe traffic congestion that has affected the district for nearly 50 years. Once operational, the new suburban bus terminus is expected to significantly reduce it.

Authorities have also planning to operate direct bus services from the facility to destinations including Tirupati, Bengaluru, Puducherry, Chittoor, Vellore, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Tindivanam, Mamallapuram, Kalpakkam, Tambaram, Kilambakkam and various parts of Chennai.