CHENNAI: Eight years after an announcement was made for constructing a bus terminus for south-bound buses to decongest Koyambedu, the foundation stone for the Rs 393.74 crore bus terminus project at Kilambakkam was laid on Friday by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, according to official sources.Of the proposed 88 acres of land, the bus terminus will come up on 44.74 acres and will help in decongesting the busy Koyambedu bus terminus. The foundation stone was laid in the presence of Deputy chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
This is because the site lies within protected and prohibited zone of Archaeological Survey of India as it contains ‘Megalithic Burial Sites’. According to an amendment to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act in January 2010, all construction is banned within 100 metres of ASI-protected areas and any construction or reconstruction or repair of a building with 200 metres of such areas requires permission from National Monuments Authority.
The terminus is likely to have 250 bus bays where in government buses will have 165 bays while private buses will have the remaining bays. The bus terminus will have car parking facilities (270 cars) and two-wheeler parking facilities (3,582 vehicles). Tenders were floated for the project last year.
Passengers will have access control and will be aware of entry and exit time of each bus, including the time spent in idle parking in the bus finger bays. Necessary facilities for travellers and visitors will be provided within the common area terminal which is likely to act as passenger waiting area as well as hub of economic activity. Sources said food stalls in the terminus will be put up the way food courts are being organised in airports and mallss.
Infra projects
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday threw open renovated roads, four bridges and road overbridges in five districts on behalf of the Department of Highways and Minor Ports through video-conferencing. According to an official release, the projects were executed in Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur and Thiruvallur at a cost of Rs 332.45 crore. Chief Minister also inaugurated 34 police quarters in Tirupur built at a cost of Rs 4.19 crore along with a police station at Mangalam in the same district built at a cost of Rs 69.18 lakh, on behalf of State Home department.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated a multipurpose indoor stadium at Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) sports ground through video conferencing on Friday. The State government has allocated Rs 1.50 crore for its construction. The stadium will have eight dress changing rooms, six toilets, viewers gallery, four wooden court, coach rooms and office rooms. Collector M Asia Mariam, District Sport Officer (DSO) K Periyakaruppan and other officials participated in the event.