Villivakkam bus stand to be shifted to ICF grounds for 2 years
CHENNAI: To facilitate the construction of the underground Villivakkam bus terminus metro station in corridor 5, the bus stand in the area will be temporarily shifted to the parade ground of Integral Coach
Factory (ICF) for two years.
CMRL will construct the temporary bus stand this week once the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) submits its design. A lease agreement has been signed between the two departments to use the ICF land measuring 1,441 square metres for operating MTC buses.
CMRL has taken up the ICF land on lease at Rs 52.04 lakh and the departments have already planned the construction. Speaking to DT Next, a CMRL official said, “A joint site inspection was conducted with MTC for construction of the temporary structure. CMRL’s contractor Tata Projects Ltd will construct it at the earliest.”
The Villivakkam bus stand, with 20,000 to 30,000 footfall per day, operates 73 regular buses and seven minibuses. The buses from the stand ply to Perambur, Broadway, Foreshore Estate, Besant Nagar and Tiruvanmiyur.
An MTC staff further explained that buses such as 27D and 47 are in high demand. “Since these
Metro work going on at Villivakkam buses connect many prime spots and city colleges, once shifted, there will be a need to operate minibuses to access the parade ground station.” The Parade ground is 1.6 km from the Villivakkam bus stand, via Konnur High Road.
“Despite the shorter distance, the feeder service is essential for passengers to reach the ICF bus stand from Villivakkam railway station and nearby areas, especially during peak hours,” said Sumesh, a resident. After CMRL awarded a tender to Tata for Rs 1,817 crore, the construction of underground stations and tunnels from Kolathur Junction to Nadhamuni, with as many as five stations commenced about six months ago.
The stations to be constructed in the stretch are Kolathur Junction metro station, Srinivasa Nagar metro station, Villivakkam metro station, Villivakkam bus terminus metro station and Nadhamuni metro station, a name that was changed from Villivakkam MTH Road metro station.
Once the bus station is shifted, there will be a need to operate minibuses to access the new location at ICF parade grounds — Staffer, MTC