CHENNAI:The proposal to have a satellite bus terminus in Madhavaram may be back on track soon. Official sources said the project is picking up slowly after it was put on hold — after a feasibility report put it in the red. It is learnt that the satellite bus terminus proposal — mainly for buses from the North and Andhra — was placed before a review meeting a couple of months ago and a final estimate is being prepared.
This comes after a a feasibility report stated that the eight-acre site was not ideal for the setting up of a Rs 32-crore satellite inter-city bus terminal in Madhavaram. The feasibility report was not favourable as there was lot of truck movement and vehicular congestion in the area. “The bus junction needs lot of movement, so the report was unfavourable,” said the source.
Now, the Chennai Metropolitan Development authority has already initiated action to prepare a detailed project report through consultant Mahindra Engineering Consultants. “The final report of that study has been submitted. A meeting of review committee will be convened after circulating copies of the report to the members,” sources added. Meanwhile, the State government is also planning to develop a new mofussil bus terminus at Vandalur in 88.52 acres of land. This is an alternate site which was identified in 2014 after the government faced land acquisition issues due to the new land acquisition act. However the new site is plagued by cases pending in the Madras High court and Supreme Court. “We are planning to engage a senior counsel to appear in the case. The legal cell is pursuing action in this regard,” said the sources. It is unlikely that both the bus terminus could materialise by the end of the year.
One of the major factors that goes into deciding whether a bus terminal can be set up at a particular spot is whether the area has decent connectivity and if it can handle a quantum increase in traffic. Only if these factors can be addressed suitably will town planning authorities sign off on a project of this scale. Similar consultations have been held before any such project is cleared and only then is it taken to the implementation stage.