Kilambakkam bus terminus likely to open on Dec 30; Private omni buses favoured at the cost of SETC buses; Completion Certificate not issued

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

The Rs 393.74 crore Kilambakkam Bus terminus for south bound buses, which is likely to be inaugurated on December 30, would accomodate omni buses at the cost of State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) buses. The reason being the private bus stand for Omni buses in Varadarajapuram is yet to be completed.

According to a SETC official, a total of 102 buses, which cater to the all section of passengers may not find the parking space as the government is favouring the omni bus owners. SETC has already raised the issue by wiriting a letter to Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority member secretary Anshul Mishra but he has yet to take a decision.

At present SETC is operating 358 services from CMBT to various places of the state via National Highway 46. Out of these services, 202 vehicles are south bound. and being operated beyond Madurai. However, CMDA has allotted only 100 parking bays. Now the big question is where will 102 buses will be accomodated, rued an official.

This is not the lone issue. he bus terminus is already facing legal scrutiny as Madras High Court is hearing a case filed by social activist Vaishnavi Jayakumar that the bus terminus is not in compliance with the Harmonized Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India, 2021. This means that the bus terminus is not disabled friendly. Already the first hearing was held and the Court has adjourbed the hearing to January 24, 2024.

"Our only request for completion before inauguration - a common level boarding platform for high floor buses has been ignored. The other non-transport related retrofits can happen with a fixed timeline, but the BRT style boarding platform can only happen before operations commence. Instead inauguration is being advanced to happen during Madras High Court's vacation and before the scheduled hearing on January 24," said Vaishnavi.

"This could have all been completed if CMDA had just acted as soon as the access visit report was submitted in September. Three months have been wasted for no good reason. As far back as July 2021, CMDA Member secretary was met by the December 3 Movement team, and the Kilambakkam superintendent engineer assured it would be 'disabled friendly.' Leaving aside Harmonised Guidelines compliance, Tamil Nadu's own Combined Building and Development Rules have been flouted in the section for transport terminals!" says Vaishnavi

"The Madras High Court was clear that the access audit report should be shared for the sector's final feedback. Yet CMDA is delaying sharing the report on flimsy grounds. An empanelled agency's access audit report is public information and should be shared freely and openly. These delays are hostile tactics being deployed by Government against citizens whose rights to freedom of movement are being trampled upon." said Vaishnavi Jayakumar.

It is learnt that the haste with which the bus terminus is being opened also puts to question the connectivity to the new bus terminus. The new bus terminus lacks Chennai Metro connectivity as well as suburban rail connectivity and would be accessible only through MTC buses. SETC has suggested that both TNSTC and SETC utilise the Kilambakkam bus terminus as an additional bus stand to terminate some services. Once Kilambakkam is well connected through Chennai Metro and the suburban train network, then more buses from Koyambedu can be shifted. The other major issue is whether the bus terminus has got completion certificate. It is not clear as the website of CMDA has no mention about it