CHENNAI: Banking on its aesthetic appeal and novelty over practicality, the Greater Chennai Corporation’s decision to replace the existing bus shelters with the more expensive 3D-printed ones across the city is proving to be a costly mistake.
For a city like Chennai, where roads are dug up frequently, constructing permanent concrete bus shelters has resulted in a recurring expenditure for the civic body. Unlike stainless steel bus shelters that can be dismantled and relocated during civic works, the 3D-printed concrete structures are permanent installations that cannot be shifted, only demolished and built again.
TNIE has learnt the first 3D-printed bus shelter in the state at the Marina is now likely to be demolished, less than two years after its installation, due to the construction of new concrete bus shelters along the stretch by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority as part of the Marina Heritage Corridor Project.
Corporation sources told TNIE at least 10 other bus shelters along the stretch are likely to be removed.
Even under these circumstances, the civic body is set to go ahead and construct an additional 80 such 3D shelters, to add to the 70 shelters that already exist.
Officials said while stainless steel shelters can be dismantled and reassembled at other locations, only requiring a new foundation, 3D-printed shelters have to be completely demolished.
The corporation spends more on 3D-printed shelters compared to conventional stainless steel shelters. While around Rs 13.9 lakh is being spent on each 3D-printed shelter measuring 6x2.5 metres, a review of previous tenders by TNIE shows stainless steel shelters of the same size were constructed for around Rs 11 lakh - Rs 12 lakh. Larger stainless steel shelters measuring 9x3 metres cost around Rs 14.5 lakh.
Speaking to TNIE, an official from Tvasta, which is working with the corporation on the 3D-printed shelters, said the company is currently constructing shelters ranging from 4.5m to 6m in length across Chennai. “The cost remains almost the same for all models, irrespective of the specifications, ranging between Rs 13 lakh and Rs 13.5 lakh,” the official said.
The official also acknowledged the shelters are made using a mix of cement and industrial waste and cannot be dismantled. “Only the seats can be reused,” the official added. Corporation officials said that 3D shelters which are currently being installed are in locations where stormwater drain infrastructure does not exist.
Besides, the corporation has also begun reviving the practice of constructing fully concrete bus shelters across the city. Such structures were common decades ago before being gradually replaced by stainless steel shelters, preferred for their lower cost and flexibility in relocation.
Corporation officials said fewer than 10 concrete shelters, each costing around Rs 15 lakh, have currently been constructed, but the number may rise as representatives favour such structures, as they offer greater visibility for displaying their names.
The shelter near Gandhi Mandapam in Kotturpuram, constructed using ward member funds from deputy mayor M Magesh Kumaar, is now on the verge of demolition due to ongoing road widening works by the highways department.
“Many elected representatives visit other states or countries, see certain infrastructure models, and try to replicate them here. Concrete bus shelters are one such example. But before implementing such projects, practicality and long-term usability must be taken into account,” a corporation official added.