Is Madhavaram bus terminus feasible?

CMDA's proposed bus terminus  lacks entry and exit points
C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The work on the much-awaited satellite bus terminus in Madhavaram, which will cater to commuters going to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, has started but it looks like the planning body’s project is facing issues over how it is going to have entry and exit points at the proposed terminus.

The bus terminal project is to be built at a cost of Rs 94.16 crore after CMDA approved the tender by BNR Infrastructure Projects at a hurriedly convened authority meeting just prior to the announcement of assembly elections.

But now it emerges that the project, which is coming up at vacant site at the junction of GNT Road and Inner Ring Road, measuring about eight acres near the 100-acre truck yard, is being done hurriedly and the initial planning permission has been rejected.

It is learnt that the bus terminus has no approach road and plans are on to do away with two public purpose plots allotted for truck terminal. The public purpose plots should have been converted for bus terminus usage.

Since the highway can't have direct opening for buses, the consultants have proposed entry from GNT road to a 40 feet road and then through a approach road into the bus terminus. But the hitch is that there are two public purpose plots mainly for truck terminal. This has to be converted into usage for bus terminus and then demolished.

Sources feel that having a truck and bus terminal side by side would further complicate the matters causing congestion in the busy Kolkata Road. It could create traffic snarl and even law and order problem.

Initially, the feasibility report for building the bus terminus was not favourable due to congestion in Inner Ring Road as a result the proposal to have bus terminal in Madhavaram was put on hold.

However, a top CMDA official defended the project. He said that the project has been designed in detail by competent persons. “The design has been reviewed and required changes are incorporated,” he said.

He also said that government projects can start and take planning clearance and not planning permission as per the Act.

It is also learnt that CMDA did not have patta besides the site has a high tension electricity board line which passes through the site and has to be removed.