The fleet of 148 MTC buses that are attached to the terminus jostle for space

The Avadi bus terminus is now playing host to private buses that are being operated on the outskirts. For months now, these vehicles, which include buses belonging to engineering colleges and companies, are parked at the facility every day. People board these buses at the terminus.

This arrangement flies in the face of norms. Local MTC officials remain a mute spectator to the illegal parking.

The junction near the Avadi terminus on the Chennai–Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road, which is maintained by the State Highways Department, is narrow and congested and this is cited as the reason by private bus operators for using the terminus.

The presence of these vehicles is a hindrance to MTC bus drivers.

In fact, it is ironical that MTC team at the Avadi bus terminus struggles to park its entire fleet of 148 buses, every day, at the facility, due to lack of space.

As a result, some of the buses are halted at the Poonamallee bus terminus.

Considered one of the busiest terminus in city’s western outskirts, the 1991-built-bus terminus in Avadi caters to several neighbourhoods including Pattabiram, Thirunindravur, Mittanamalli, Sekadu, Annanoor and Thirumullavoyal.

Every day, MTC sources said, more than 1,200 bus services with a fleet of 148 buses operated from the terminus to various places in the city including Thiruvanmiyur, Anna Square, Mandavelli, Red Hills, Padiyanallur, Poonamallee, Saidapet, Villivakkam, Tambaram, Velachery, Broadway and CMBT. In fact, the bus terminus at Avadi connects city with many key industrial clusters and tourist places like Sriperambadur, Tiruvallur, Tirutani, Periyapalayam, Thiruverukadu and Uthukottai.

“We are not aware of such parking of private buses inside the Avadi bus terminus. Steps will be taken soon to prevent such misuse of government premises,” says an MTC official.