Residents write to ‘MLA Vijay’, seek direct buses to central, south Chennai

CHENNAI: After being plagued by poor bus connectivity to other parts of Chennai, including the central and southern parts of the city where most education institutions, hospitals, and companies are located, the residents of Perambur are now placing all their hopes on their local MLA – after all, it should help that your Assembly representative also happens to be the CM.

In a letter to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban, the West Kaviarasu Kannadasan Nagar Residents Welfare Association urged them to improve direct bus connectivity from Kaviarasu Kannadasan Nagar (KKD) bus terminus to other parts of Chennai.

Though the population in and around Kannadasan Nagar is steadily rising, thousands of daily commuters, including college students, officegoers, and patients, struggle to reach central and southern parts of Chennai, the association stated in the letter.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) had redeveloped the terminus into a modern facility at a cost of Rs 13.50 crore and the KKD bus terminus was inaugurated on February 8. However, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) currently operates only on a handful of routes, complained the residents here.

CR Krishnan, president, RWA, pointed out that thousands of people from Ezhil Nagar, MR Nagar, Bharathiyar Nagar, Chinnandimadam, and other nearby areas used KKD terminus every day. “However, residents are forced to change multiple buses just to get to work or college in the southern and central parts of Chennai, where IT companies, educational institutions and government hospitals are located,” he said.

After studying the existing scenario and requirement, the association has proposed direct routes to connect North Chennai and the rest of the metropolitan area.

Thousands of residents struggle to reach central and southern parts of Chennai, the RWA said in the letter to CM Vijay routes that they are suggesting are from KKD Nagar to Tiruvanmiyur (via Pattalam, Egmore, and Anna Salai), T Nagar (via Vyasarpadi, Perambur, and Purasaiwalkam), Saidapet (via MKB Nagar, Vyasarpadi, and Purasaiwalkam) Ambattur (via Perambur and Villivakkam), Tiruverkadu (via Moolakadai, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, and Retteri) Tiruvottiyur (via MKB Nagar, Vyasarpadi, Mint Street, and Tondiarpet).

“We’re also asking the resumption of direct bus service to T Nagar, which was stopped seven years ago due to the construction of the Elephant Gate RoB,” said P Raja Rathinam, secretary, RWA. “CM Vijay should take note of the hardships faced by his own constituents and take swift action.”