CHENNAI: Even as 70% of the work on the wi-fi-enabled hi-tech Kuthambakkam terminus is completed, the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (Cumta) has suggested Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to extend connectivity till the upcoming bus terminus in the western suburbs. Residents of Kuthambakkam point out that if CMRL is extended till the terminus, just one stop from the proposed metro station in Poonamalee, it will help travellers arriving or heading to Bengaluru.
The upcoming bus terminus, at Kuthambakkam near Thirumazhisai spread over 25 acres, is scheduled to be operational by July or August this year. It will have about 70 bays for mofussil government buses and 30 for private services, all bound for western destinations, such as Krishnagiri and Bengaluru. There will be 36 bays for MTC buses.
“Only the work on ancillary buildings, EB substations, toilets, compound wall, escalators are pending. Nearly 70% work is complete,” said a CMDA official.
According to officials from Cumta, though only 20% of the pressure from CMBT will be shifted to Kuthambakkam, it is essential to provide proper connectivity.
“We have suggested CMRL to extend the service till the terminus. We will send an official letter soon. They must extend it from Poonamalee only by a few kilometres,” said an official. Residents also feel that without proper connectivity, the bus terminus won’t serve its purpose. K S Mohan, farmer and entrepreneur, whose ancestral village is in Kuthambakkam, said that last-mile connectivity is essential. “There are a lot of villages, educational institutions and factories around Kuthambakkam. The Tiruvallur railway station is 12 kms away,” he said. Residents also wanted an entrance to the Kuthambakkam bus terminus from the Tiruvallur side.
The upcoming bus terminus, at Kuthambakkam near Thirumazhisai spread over 25 acres, is scheduled to be operational by July or August this year. It will have about 70 bays for mofussil government buses and 30 for private services, all bound for western destinations, such as Krishnagiri and Bengaluru. There will be 36 bays for MTC buses.
“Only the work on ancillary buildings, EB substations, toilets, compound wall, escalators are pending. Nearly 70% work is complete,” said a CMDA official.
According to officials from Cumta, though only 20% of the pressure from CMBT will be shifted to Kuthambakkam, it is essential to provide proper connectivity.
“We have suggested CMRL to extend the service till the terminus. We will send an official letter soon. They must extend it from Poonamalee only by a few kilometres,” said an official. Residents also feel that without proper connectivity, the bus terminus won’t serve its purpose. K S Mohan, farmer and entrepreneur, whose ancestral village is in Kuthambakkam, said that last-mile connectivity is essential. “There are a lot of villages, educational institutions and factories around Kuthambakkam. The Tiruvallur railway station is 12 kms away,” he said. Residents also wanted an entrance to the Kuthambakkam bus terminus from the Tiruvallur side.
