The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) commuters and staff, including drivers and conductors, are demanding new toilets at the bus terminus in East Mogappair. The existing toilets at the terminus are dilapidated with broken water pipeline and flush tanks.
Functioning since 1990, the 1.5-acre terminus operates 21 buses to places such as Thiruvanmiyur, T. Nagar, Parry's Corner and Anna Salai every day with more than 5,000 commuters using the facility. After repeated requests by residents and elected representatives, the renovation of the terminus was started last year with funds provided by the local MLA and the rest of the money coming from MTC. The Rs. 60 lakh renovation work included construction of shelters, time keeper’s office, laying of access road inside the terminus, levelling of the floor and bus bays. “Most of the work has been completed but the toilets are in a pathetic state. The toilets inside the terminus are meant only for the MTC staff and not for commuters,” said K.Vasanth, a commuter from J.J Nagar.
The renovated terminus in J.J. Nagar has a compound wall, better illumination, water taps, rest rooms, administrative office , a separate room for MTC staff and sign boards that indicate buses with specific routes and timings of their arrival and departure. The existing floor level of the terminus has also been raised to around 1.5 feet high to prevent flooding during monsoon.
Residents and elected representatives have made several representations to the MTC and Ambattur zone (Zone VII) of the Chennai Corporation to construct separate toilets for MTC staff and commuters. However, neither the civic body nor the MTC has agreed to have the new facility. According to residents, both these state agencieshave been blaming each other for not setting up the new facility at the terminus. A group of residents in the neighbourhood have visited the office branch manager at the bus terminus in Anna Nagar West and also the Ambattur zonal office on CTH Road to convince the authorities to set up the toilets at the terminus. The efforts have however been unsuccessful. “We request the authorities to construct new toilets at the terminus before the renovated terminus is opened. Additional bus services to places like Egmore, Thiruvanmiyur via College Road and Mandavalli are also needed,” said K. Ramani, a social activist from East Mogappair.
