
CHENNAI: Despite being operational for over a year, commuters continue to face challenges in accessing the Kilambakkam bus terminus, located 29km from CMBT, especially during festival seasons.
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) remains the sole public transport option for reaching the terminus, as construction of the railway station near the terminus building, between Vandalur and Urapakkam, progresses at a snail’s pace.
As on Sunday, a total of 6.8 lakh commuters travelled by government buses from Chennai city since January 10.
TNIE’s visit to the Kilambakkam bus terminus (KCBT) revealed that congestion between the MTC terminus and the mofussil/SETC bus stand has eased, thanks to the construction of two ramps and two staircases. Entry points to the main concourse area, built by the CMDA after demolishing the wall separating the main bus stand and the MTC terminus, have facilitated smoother commuter movement, eliminating the need for battery-operated cars between these areas.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Pongal festival, the KCBT has been inundated with commuters over the past two days. As congestion increased, mofussil bus services heading to Tiruvannamalai, Vandavasi, Chetpet, and Polur were temporarily relocated to the MTC bus terminus, between platforms 10 and 13.
Commuters who interacted with TNIE said they reached the terminus three hours early, fearing traffic congestion. With city roads narrowed due to the construction of Metro Rail Phase II and limited MTC bus services, a section of travellers said they faced a huge ordeal reaching the terminus, while others said they were compelled to spend `300 to `400 for cab.
The delay in constructing the Kilambakkam railway station continues to exacerbate the challenges faced by commuters. Work on the new railway station began in January last year. Initially scheduled for completion by December this year, the project has been delayed due to issues in land acquisition.
Currently, the Chennai railway division has completed the earthen embankment for one side of the platform. “The platform on the left (towards Tambaram) will be completed within a month, and work on the other side will commence soon. The station is expected to be ready by May this year,” said a spokesperson for the Chennai division.
The state government has allocated `20 crore for the construction of the station building, platforms, shelters and other infrastructure. The platforms on both sides of the tracks are designed to accommodate 12-car local/MEMU trains.
Over the past two days, hundreds of commuters, primarily travelling to villages in Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and other districts have occupied the concourse areas of the terminus during night hours. S Santhanam, a resident of Mangadu, shared his experience: “I had to take two buses to reach the terminus.
I reserved a ticket for an SETC bus to Aranthangi and arrived three hours early. Buses should either depart from locations that are easier to access, or the terminus should be connected to train or metro network as soon as possible.”
S Kamatchi from Vandavasi said, “I was travelling to Polur with my two children. I boarded a local train at Guindy, but it terminated at Tambaram. I waited there for 20 minutes to board a train to Chengalpattu. After getting down at Vandalur, I had to pay `80 for autorickshaw to reach Kilambakkam.”
When contacted, transport officials stationed at KCBT said additional MTC services have been introduced from various parts of the city. “Commuters from central or north Chennai must either board buses at MMBT or travel to CMBT to board buses to KCBT,” said an official.
To meet the additional demand, hundreds of private buses were hired by the Villupuram, Coimbatore and Salem transport corporations to various destinations.