Just three days after the opening of the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus in Kilambakkam, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) took down a section of the wall separating the MTC terminus and the outstation terminus due to complaints from passengers regarding accessibility issues. Although there was a mini-subway equipped with escalators and lifts connecting the two termini, passengers, especially those who were elderly or had physical disabilities, encountered difficulties when carrying luggage through it.
Following this, a meeting was held by the CMDA with officials and consultants involved and the wall causing inconvenience to passengers was demolished.
With the removal of a portion of the wall, passengers can now enter and exit the MTC terminus without the inconvenience of using the “mini subway” and climbing stairs as previously required.
One local resident who had come to Kilambakkam to catch a bus to Madurai mentioned that passengers had to cover a considerable distance from the MTC bus stop to reach the new terminus. She expressed that people would find it much more convenient to access and leave the terminus without the presence of the wall.
A CMDA official explained that the decision to demolish part of the wall was made in response to passengers’ feedback. The official noted, “Initially, we provided access through the pathway using a lift and escalator leading into MTC. During the first two days, we observed that passengers were struggling to reach the escalators. Although the distance is only 350 meters from the outstation terminus, passengers raised complaints.”
Now, DMK Minister Sekar Babu had declared the immediate demolition of another wall that has been causing considerable inconvenience to passengers.
The minister defended the decision, emphasizing that the demolition was essential to alleviate difficulties faced by passengers navigating around the obstructive wall. However, this move has attracted criticism for the lapse in careful planning and lack of precision in the execution of the project by the DMK government.
தினசரி கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமா இடிச்சு ஒட்டுமொத்தமா பேருந்து நிலையத்தையே இடிச்சுருவாங்க போல. pic.twitter.com/HtXLkR3I52
— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) January 4, 2024
The bus stand, inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, aimed to enhance connectivity for residents of the southern districts.
The Kilambakkam Bus Terminus (KCBT) is touted to be the beacon of modern transportation infrastructure, conceived during the AIADMK regime in February 2019 and officially inaugurated on 30 December 2023 by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Tamil Nadu government. However, this ambitious project has not been without its share of controversies, stirring debates and raising concerns among the public.
Reports emerged that inadequate transport facilities to reach the Kilambakkam bus stand and challenges posed by the use of the service road were hampering the intended convenience for commuters in the area.
Residents of Kilambakkam expressed their discontent through a protest. They raised concerns about the inconvenience caused by government buses using the service road, preventing them from utilizing it. DMK Minister Sekar Babu has said that buses won’t ply during school timings.
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