CHENNAI: Now bus commuters in Chennai who travel to Tirupati and other parts of Andhra Pradesh can board buses only at Madhavaram terminus or Red Hills bus stand, with the state government beginning to shift the buses from the Koyambedu bus terminus to Madhavaram. For commuters from northern parts of the city, this effectively cuts travel time by at least an hour.
About 100 buses of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Villupuram division running from Chennai to Nellore, Nayudupetta, Tirupati and Sri Kalahasthi started operating from the Madhavaram terminus on Thursday, a day after the terminus was opened.
In all 477 buses are to be shifted to the new terminus. “About 100 buses have started operating from Madhavaram. The other 138 (TN state transport) buses will start plying in a few days. MTC buses plying via Madhavaram have been asked to take detour via the terminus,” said a senior transport department official. Chennai - Tirupati buses will take a different route till Tiruvallur. “Buses from Madhavaram will reach Tiruvallur via Red Hills, Padiyanallur and Thamaraipakkam on Tiruvallur highway,” said the officer.
Still, lack of MTC bus connectivity to other parts of the city has inconvenienced commuters. A senior MTC official said soon 37 buses will be introduced from Madhavaram to parts of the city such as Egmore, Central, Adyar, Tambaram, Vandalur, Avadi and Ambattur.