CHENNAI: With an average footfall of 30,000 commuters per day, the Tripunithura bus stand is one of the busiest bus stands in the district. Though the facility underwent a revamp, upgrading its amenities and introducing a women-friendly comfort zone, the roads leading and exiting the stand are covered with potholes. Iron bars have become visible as the concrete cracked, posing a major threat to buses and pedestrians.
“The potholes near the exit of the stand have always been there, however, of late, they have become deeper. The iron bars have punctured the tyres of several buses, including two tyres of my bus. Commuters too have complained about tripping over these rods. The intermittent rain has made it worse,” said Vineesh, a bus driver.
“Also, two-wheelers enter the bus stand through the exit as a shortcut to access nearby shops and to avoid traffic on the main road. “Most of them are unaware of these holes. They can easily fall into one of them,” he said.
According to Firoz, another bus driver, a recent tyre puncture caused traffic congestion for almost one-and-half hours. “Buses can’t avoid potholes on this road. Recently, a KSRTC low-floor bus tried to avert the pothole but it resulted in ramming a building,” he said.
The bus drivers often help blind lottery vendors cross the road as they could easily slip into a pothole.
“We need a permanent solution to this issue. The municipality conducts surveys to gather information about the inconveniences in the stand but no action has been taken,” said Firoz.
As per Chandrika Devi, chairperson, Tripunithura municipality, the problem will be resolved. “Though the road is repaired often, the concrete breaks. Therefore, interlocking tiles will be used to pave the road. The fencing wall is damaged too, so both works will be completed together. The tenders will be floated and hopefully, the work will commence by October,” she said.