Buses originating and terminating at Pattabiram do not have a dedicated space, thanks to a six-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) project that is under way.
As a portion of the terminus in Pattabiram on Chennai–Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road has been taken up for the ROB work aimed at doing away with the existing manned railway level crossing (LC-2), buses are parked on the roadside.
This situation is causing considerable confusion among commuters, many of whom are caught unawares, and all of them would likely agree that is a not a safe place to park buses.
“Boarding buses that are parked on the roadside is risky as speeding motorcyclists are most likely to not pay any attention to commuters’ plight,” says S. Vanitha, a resident of Pattabiram.
Work on this project began a few years ago, thereby eating into the space at the terminus. During the lockdown, the space was used to make steel frames which resulted in damage to the concrete floor. The feeding cabin for mothers, which was opened at the terminus in 2015, is also damaged as a result of construction materials being dumped there.
State Highways officials stress that the inconvenience faced by commuters while boarding buses is temporary. When the bridge work is completed, which should be in a year’s time, the space will be restored with basic facilities including bus bays, seating arrangements and the timekeeper’s cabin. The new bridge will put an end to the long waiting time at the manned railway level crossing.
“Steps will be taken to address the issue relating to the halting space for buses,” says a State Highways official.