Could dedicated bus flyover be a solution to ease congestion in Koyambedu?

Chennai:

As the residents near Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus are struggling with traffic snarls, experts are suggesting various ways including a flyover dedicated to buses in the region.

Delivering the R Thillainayagam Memorial Endowment lecture on "Bus dedicated flyover at CMBT’ organized by The Institution of Highway Transport (India) Chennai, Prof and former principal of P M R Institute of Technology D R Kiran suggested the need for a dedicated flyover for buses.

He said the flyover with entry from Koyambedu junction and exit towards Vadapalani junction could result in congestion free entry and exit for buses to moffusil bus terminus. He said this could also solve the entry and exit to CMBT.

“It is a regular exasperating experience to move near CMBT along Kaliamman Koil Street, the only link from Koyambedu to Arcot Road. The long row of outstation buses coming out of CMBT and trying to turn right cause a major bottleneck. A traffic jam rsulting for more than 30 minutes in this area is not uncommon, he said.

Sometimes police divert the buses during peak hours to proceed till the southern end of Koyambedu market and return. The extra distance in addition to the diversion along Koyambedu flyover adds an extra 2 kilometre for south bound buses which form 80 pc of total CMBT traffic.

“Besides causing delayed departures for long distance bus, millions of litres of fuel are burnt away every year due to this extra distance and traffic hold ups,” he said.

He suggested that if all buses are allowed to join the Inner Ring Road at the CMBT by providing flyovers dedicated to CMBT buses both outstation and metropolitan, the journey travel time, the traffic hold up time as well as the heavy consumption of fuel can be reduced.

Interestingly, his proposal for dedicated bus flyover comes in the wake of the Chennai Corporation planning a one kilometer flyover on Jawaharlal Nehru High Road (also known as 100 ft Road and Inner Ring Road). However, experts opined the proposal of Prof Kiran is worthwhile considering as it reduce the current detour of 2 km taken by the MBT buses to a mere 800 metres. With BRTS plan also taking shape, this plan could could cut costs as well ease congestion.