Guduvanchery Bus Terminus Encroachers’ Paradise

CHENNAI: The Guduvanchery bus terminus is encroached by shopkeepers and vehicle-users who park hundreds of vehicles there, forcing the buses to stop on the Chennai-Tiruchy national highway to pick up passengers. The stopping of buses on the road leads to traffic congestion on the arterial road, especially during peak hours, holidays and festival days.

The rest lounge for passengers is occupied by drunks who sleep inside while the passengers sit outside under the sun.

Guduvanchery has 30 wards and it is a rapidly developing area in the suburb and the pace of development has picked up after the opening of the Kalaignar centenary bus stand at Kilambakkam.

Guduvanchery is the major market for more than 50 villages around it and thousands of people travel from there through suburban trains and MTC buses to Chennai every day. Since there was no permanent bus stand, the buses were stopped on the road to pick up passengers, resulting in severe traffic snarls. The residents wanted a bus terminus for the area so that buses could come inside and pick up passengers.

Following the request of the residents, a bus terminus was constructed in 2019 on 2 acres. The maintenance of the terminus was entrusted to the Guduvanchery municipality. MTC buses are operated from the terminus to Tambaram, Keerapakkam, Vadapalani, Avadi, Broadway, T. Nagar, Kottamedu, Sembakkam and Nellikuppam.

The terminus lacks proper maintenance and many parts remain in darkness as lights do not work. The shopkeepers have encroached parts of the terminus and dumped various things, blocking traffic and hindering public movement. Only 25 of the shops were rented legally and they have encroached more space than they were allotted, turning the terminus into godowns.

Hundreds of two-wheelers besides cargo vehicles and cars are parked inside the terminus and the buses are not able to move freely inside the terminus. The buses coming from Tambaram and going to Chengalpet are not able to enter the terminus and come out freely. They stop on the Chennai-Tiruchy national highway, leading to traffic congestion. The purpose of constructing the terminus is defeated by the encroachments, and traffic jams on the national highway continue.

A rest lounge was built for passengers but they are occupied by people unrelated to the terminus and drunks, forcing the passengers to sit outside under the sun. The terminus, constructed at a cost of Rs. 2 crore, has fallen into the hands of encroachers.

However, an official of Guduvanchery municipality said people park their vehicles inside the terminus since buses do not enter it to pick up passengers. The municipality had asked the transport department to operate the buses into the terminus, instead of stopping on the road. He also said the municipality is taking action to remove the encroachments of the shops and action will be taken through the police on those parking their vehicles.