CHENNAI: Delay in completion of stormwater drains, widening of Iyananchery-Meenakshipuram Road and ongoing construction of the entrance road, among other incomplete works to the tune of Rs 45 crore is hampering the inauguration of the Kilambakkam bus terminus.
In total, 10 works are pending and it could drag on till Deepavali. However, the government is planning to open it before that, in a phased manner, said CMDA chairman P K Sekarbabu on Thursday. Since the bus terminus is nearing completion, the facilities provided for the commuters were reviewed and it was found that the terminus was being built without taking into account the needs of the passengers. “It is a low-lying area and when it rains it leads to water stagnation.
The approach roads are also narrow. The government doesn’t want to take the blame for the haphazard work done by the previous government,” Babu told TNIE. Of the 10 pending works, tenders have been floated for some and work has started on a few others.
“We are planning to open the terminus in a phased manner. Buses plying to Tirunelveli would be allowed in the first phase and buses to Madurai in the next phase. The buses catering to Villupuram would be allowed in the third phase. This would be decided in a meeting soon,” the minister said. The foundation stone for the bus terminus was laid in February 2019. The new works which were announced recently have made the project costlier by 25%.
Pending work
1. Construction of stormwater drains
Cost: Rs 134.72 crore
Status: Work order issued
2. Widening of Iyananchery-Meenakshipuram Road and construction of entrance road
Cost: Rs 1.56 crore
Status: Work started
3. Construction of police station
Status: Soil test completed
4. Construction of RCC culvert
Cost: Rs 3.57 crore
Status: Price bids opened
5. Parking bays for omnibuses
Cost: Rs 26.70 crore
Status: Awaiting approval
6. Strengthening of police academy road
Cost: Rs 2.14 crore
Status: Tender stage
7. Strengthening of CVK Road
Cost: Rs 3.51 crore
Status: Tender stage
8. Junction improvement on
GST road
Cost: Rs 50 lakh
Status: Tender stage
9. Providing road safety furniture
Cost: Rs 0.14 lakh
Status: Tender stage
10. Widening curves and road safety works
Cost: Rs 2.58 crore
Status: Tender stage
Services
1. SETC: 356
2. TNSTC Villupuram at Tambaram: 362
3. Pondicherry Road Transport Corporation: 6
4. TNSTC Villupuram: 753
5. TNSTC Kumbakonam: 173
6. Omnibuses: 1099