CHENNAI: The Thiyagarayar Nagar bus terminus and depot are likely to be phased out to make way for multi-level parking building. If everything goes as per the plan of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation, all 73 buses from the T Nagar depot will be shifted to Adyar, Anna Nagar, Adambakkam, Perumbakkam and Saidapet before Deepavali this year. “After shifting of the buses, the T Nagar junction will receive passing buses. This means that commuters will not lose any bus services. A detailed project report on the construction of three-storeyed structure comprising two bus parking lots and shopping malls is being finalised,” said highly placed MTC sources.
As part of this move, it is said that the MTC has shifted all 19B services to Saidapet, which was operated between T Nagar and Siruseri/Kelambakkam until Saturday. While many services of 19B were operated between T Nagar and Kelambakkam, a few services ran from Saidapet to Siruseri/Kelambakkam. “Since Saturday all 30 services of 19B are getting terminated at Saidapet. So, now I have to spend additional money somewhere between `5 and `9 to reach T Nagar. It is another way to increase the ticket fare,” said K Radha Rajan of CIT Nagar, T Nagar.
Bus commuters rued that they had lost direct connectivity to T Nagar from Sholinganallur, Taramani, Kanthanchavadi, Thuraipakkam, Karapakkam and Siruseri. Bus number 519 which was operated between T Nagar/Saidapet and Thiruporur followed the same route of 19B. However, commuters said it hardly helped them as it had only deluxe services.
“More than 40 per cent of 19B services are operated as regular (white board) and Express services. But, 519 route has only deluxe services. So, we have to either take two buses to reach T Nagar or to use the only deluxe bus to go to T Nagar, paying additional ticket fare,” said another commuter S Kumaran of Thuraipakkam. When contacted, MTC officials said that due to issues in timings, Route 519 had been shifted to T Nagar from Saidapet, while 19B had been sent to Saidapet from T Nagar. “Passengers along Rajiv Gandhi Salai will be served through 519. White board services are also being operated,” claimed the officials.
The T Nagar terminus handles 456 buses a day, including 73 buses of its own depot. The depot caters to nearly 55,000 passengers a day. The parking capacity of the depot and terminus complex premises is about 60 to 65 buses. It may be recalled that in March, J51 (T Nagar-Venkatamangalam), 51M (T Nagar-Madipakkam), F51 (T Nagar-Sunnambukulathur), N51 (T Nagar-Moovarasanpet) and J 51 (T Nagar-Venkatamangalam) were transferred to the Adambakkam bus depot.