The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Rain woes for city's bus stands

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Rain woes for city's bus stands

Staff Reporter

Water logging, mixing of sewage, potholes major problems

BAD SHAPE: The MTC bus terminus at Iyappanthangal in the city's western fringes. — Photo: S.S. Kumar

CHENNAI : Water logging, sewage pollution and pot-holed bus stands are some of the major problems commuters face during rainy days at bus terminuses.

A senior MTC officer said there were about 35 bus stations of various sizes in the city and the suburbs. The Corporation owns 20 of them; the others are with local bodies.

In 15 bus stations, water logging is a major problem during the monsoon, conceded MTC authorities. The stations in Iyappanthangal, Vadapalani, Tiruvottiyur, Tiruvanmiyur, Ennore, Villivakkam are some of the worst affected.

Commuters complained that at the Vadapalani terminus, due to clogged storm water drains, water logging is a common sight. Sewage got mixed with the water, posing a major health hazard to the passengers, they said.

In order to improve the infrastructure in these stations, the authorities are planning to approach local MLAs to provide financial assistance under the Local Area Development funds.

They have already requested the local MLA B.Ranganathan to provide funds to improve the conditions in Mogappair East, West and Villivakkam.

Another officer said the stations in Broadway, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Velachery and Korattur are under various local bodies and the Highways department.

The MTC was therefore unable to take up improvement works in these places, the officials said. A section of commuters suggested that the newly elected councillors from a Zone should join together and allocate the funds to improve a bus terminus in that zone.

If this is implemented it will automatically help in improving conditions, they added.

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