On a typical day, the Broadway bus terminus is a scene of chaos. With a major rerouting of stormwater drains under way in order to facilitate the Metro Rail project work, the condition has become worse.
The terminus, one of the largest under the control of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), has been partially dug up for nearly a month and a new stormwater drain network is under construction. Due to the slow pace of work and the lack of a coherent traffic management plan, commuters who regularly use the terminus have been left to suffer.
Most commuters, such as 76-year-old Prem Kumar, have no idea where buses with a particular route number are parked. “Space is extremely limited and buses are parked haphazardly wherever possible. The lack of a public information system adds to our woes. How can I run around the terminus looking for my bus?” he asks.
While commuters like him understand that any new project will involve such inconveniences, they say that the MTC could have foreseen the difficulties and made certain alternative arrangements. Providing clear signboards and using a public information system could make it a lot simpler, they add.
V. Valli, another commuter, says that since many of the bus routes have been changed due to the stormwater drain work, finding the right bus is a hassle. “Besides, traffic on NSC Bose Road and Esplanade Road are severely affected during rush hour. Getting into the terminus itself is difficult. How will people use public transport if facilities are so poor?” she asks.
The bus drivers and conductors have their own share of problems. S.Damodharan, a conductor, says “It is impossible to reverse the buses without blocking one part of the terminus. Also, since the exit has been blocked, buses have to come in and go out through the same gate.”
A senior MTC official said that the bus crew are not being allowed any rest at the terminus once they complete a trip. “They have been asked to follow a ‘touch and go' policy, which means they will leave for the next trip as soon as they arrive. Unless the civil works are completed fast, it is going to be a major problem.”
He admits that most MTC terminuses lack both space and adequate facilities for passengers. “Other MTC terminuses which are close to major Metro Rail connecting points, starting with Mint and Saidapet, are in line for similar stormwater rerouting work and commuters might have to prepare themselves to face some inconvenience,” the official said. A coordination committee, consisting of the MTC and the Chennai Corporation, has been put in place to oversee the work.
The official added that in many places, the stormwater network is a century old and constructing new ones might prevent flooding of depots as well.
Corporation Commissioner D. Karthikeyan said that a certain amount of inconvenience was inevitable. “Work at the terminus might get over in a month's time.”
