The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is planning to decongest the city’s public bus transportation hub Koyambedu and surroundings, by building a private bus terminus on Outer Ring Road in Varadharajapuram, beyond Tambaram municipal corporation limits.
After developing 100 bays in Varadharajapuram, the existing terminus in Koyambedu would be shifted there, officials said. The final decision in this regard will be taken shortly.
CMDA Minister P.K. Sekarbabu said a team of urban planners would inspect the five-acre site on Monday to ascertain the feasibility of building the private bus terminus, which will be located 7 km away from the Kilambakkam bus terminus.
Varadharajapuram, which has been developing as a residential locality, is expected to witness commercial development if the terminus comes up. Officials said more than 100 buses would get space and passengers would be allowed to board the private buses at Kilambakkam.
Meanwhile, residents have demanded the development of civic infrastructure, including the one on flood mitigation.
Many encroachments on the 50-metre strip of land along Outer Ring Road would be removed ahead of the construction of the bus bays. The land identified for the terminus has been encroached upon by commercial establishments.
N. Kumar, a resident, said access to the outer ring road from the locality should be improved to ease traffic congestion and the residents of the panchayat areas should be exempted from toll fees.
T. Santhanakrishnan, another resident, said a police station should be set up in the area.
V. Rajasekaran, president of the Federation of Varadarajapuram Welfare Association (FEDOVWA), said the government should fulfil the demands of residents for civic infrastructure before taking up the work on bus stand. The residents seek better roads, a park and playground, completion of drain work and mini bus services from Varadarajapuram to Kilambakkam bus depot and Tambaram.
“Action should be taken to prevent discharge of sewage water into the Adyar river and to set up a sewage treatment plant to treat waste water and release it into the river,” he said.
