CHENNAI: To avoid paying user fee at Vanagaram toll gate on Chennai bypass road, the transport department diverted its buses originating from CMBT Koyambedu via Guindy and Pallavaram. While the traffic police said that this led to a jam on GST road during peak hours and on-going bridge construction at Koyambedu, the transport department claimed that its only diverting 30 per cent of buses via Inner Ring Road and GST road. However, it is learnt that all the mofussil buses running for multiple trips routed towards GST road.
Each bus has to pay Rs 9800 for 50 trips per month at Vanagaram toll gate. The transport corporations approximately pay Rs 61 lakh per month for 650 buses operated from the CMBT.With the electronic toll payment system implemented at national highway toll gates, the TNSTC mofussil buses expected to exhaust 50 trips within a week. Hence, the government mooted the idea of diverting the buses via non-toll roads wherever possible, said official sources.
On Wednesday, vehicular movement was disrupted for more than an hour in Tambaram - Tindivanam National Highway after the government bus crew picketed the highway. Around 8.30 am, the traffic police intercepted the TNSTC buses coming from Cuddalore, Villupuram and Neyveli and routed them to reach Koyambedu via bypass road.
The bus drivers argued that they did not have sufficient money to pay the user fee at Vanagaram toll gate on the bypass road and were told to drive the buses via Guindy. However, the police insisted them to take the buses via Chennai bypass road to avoid congestion near Airport as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s arrival was scheduled at Airport.
As the impasse continued, the bus drivers staged a protest. Upon being informed, transport officials rushed the spot and after about 70 minutes, the buses were allowed into the city.“We have not received intimation from the transport corporations for diverting the buses via GST road. At the time of construction of the bypass road, the corporations agreed to divert its buses via express highway,” said a traffic police officer.
According to official data, the GST road handles more than one lakh vehicles a day. “ In 2019, after reopening of Chennai metro rail, many SETC buses were routed to GST road. If TNSTC buses are also diverted, the stretch will suffer a huge vehicular pile increasing the travel time during peak hours,” explained the traffic police.
A senior official from the transport department claimed that 200 out of 650 buses were diverted via GST road. “Many buses are still operated via Chennai bypass road. We have made a few changes to reduce congestion at Kaliamman Koil Junction. We are ready to work with traffic police to alleviate the impact on vehicular traffic.”