Rs 394 crore Kilambakkam bus terminus project to become a reality soon
“We are hoping to complete the work in the next five months. The terminus will have solar panels and a sponge park,” an official said.
Published: 05th February 2022 07:29 AM | Last Updated: 05th February 2022 07:29 AM | A+A A-
The under-construction Kilambakkam Bus terminus at Urapakkam | Ashwin Prasath
CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has completed nearly 70 per cent work of the Rs 394-cr Kilambakkam bus terminus, which is being built to decongest Koyambedu. The south-bound buses will start from here. The CMDA hopes to complete its construction in five months, official sources said.
“We are hoping to complete the work in the next five months. The terminus will have solar panels and a sponge park,” an official said. The new terminus, once completed, is expected to cater to about 1.5 lakh passengers with a parking space for 250 buses, 270 cars and 3,500 two-wheelers. After project completion, all buses to the southern districts would depart from Kilambakkam.
A separate bus stand to operate buses to Koyambedu and other parts of the city has also been proposed on a five-acre land. The terminus will also be linked to the Metro Rail, providing commuters connectivity to Chennai Central, Egmore and North Chennai. The official told TNIE that experts in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy will conduct an audit towards achieving near-net zero in Kilambakkam and Kuthambakkam bus termini.
He added the CMDA is planning to create a sponge park, consisting of blue-green infrastructure to collect, filter and store the runoff on a pilot basis at Kilambakkam. The park is already gaining prominence after the Greater Chennai Corporation proposed one at the Kargil Nagar floodwater pumping station in the Manali zone.
A committee of ASI and CMDA officials will be involved in the planning of the park. The design of the terminus has been tweaked to save Rs 3 crore for the CMDA, sources added. Meanwhile, official sources said the Kuthambakkam bus terminus in Tiruvallur, spread across 25 acres and constructed at Rs 307 crore, was expected to be completed by the end of the year.
As part of the CMDA’s commitment to the environment, it will also take up the construction of Nemam Tank surplus course and Bangaru Canal embankments. Besides, solar panels will be installed at Government Higher Secondary School, Kuthambakkam South; sanitation facilities will be constructed at Government High School, Chembarambakkam; and library equipment and furniture will be provided for Sundaram Government School, Thirumazhisai, the official added.
