CHENNAI: Located adjacent to the seat of judiciary, the High Court bus terminus is a busy station from where buses operate to various destinations in north Chennai.
But without a bus shelter, seating arrangement for passengers and even restrooms, the terminus resembles nothing more than a piece of land where buses come and leave.
With one bus being operated for every five minutes, the terminus caters to several thousand passengers. Totally, more than 160 services are operated every day.
However, the facilities at the terminus are not commensurate with the demand of the travelling public as well as MTC staff.
In fact, except for the time-keepers booth, there is no single structure which would indicate that it is a bus terminus.
Buses are parked in the open. Passengers have no place to seek shelter from the scorching sun or rain. This apart, every time a bus comes in or goes out, it kicks up a storm of dust forcing the public to cover their faces.
There is no public address system or information boards which would guide passengers on bus routes and timings.
But, the most appalling thing is the lack of toilets. There is a rundown motor room nearby which has a single toilet that is so poorly maintained.
Staff of MTC and passengers relieve themselves behind parked buses or amidst the bushes at the rear of the terminus.
Standing with her nose covered with a handkerchief, Renuka Devi(40) who had been using the terminus for the past eight months, criticised the authorities concerned for failing to provide passenger amenities. “There is not a single bench at the terminus for the convenience of commuters,” she said. She demanded that MTC should take note of commuters plight and take steps to improve facilities. Concurring with Renuka’s grievance, Rajendran S, a trader, said the absence of a shelter caused immense hardship to the public.
When contacted, an MTC official said plans are afoot to develop the terminus, but it is not being done due to the ongoing Metro Rail work. Over half of the bus terminus area had been taken over by CMRL.