Kilambakkam bus terminus: CM to break ground today

CHENNAI: Eight years after the announcement was made for constructing a bus terminus for south-bound buses to decongest Koyambedu, foundation stone for the Rs 417 crore bus terminus project at Kilambakkam is likely to be laid by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday. This comes after National Monuments Authority (NMA) gave No Objection Certificate to the bus terminus recently.
The 88 acres for building the bus terminus lies within protected and prohibited zone of Archaeological Survey of India as it contains ‘Megalithic Burial Sites’. 

According to an amendment to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act in January 2010, all constructions are banned within 100 metres of ASI-protected areas and any construction or reconstruction or repair of a building with 200 metres of such areas requires permission from NMA. 

It is learnt from official sources that NMA gave its clearance for construction of bus terminus with a total height of 34 metres on five conditions. These include that there should be no development in the 100 metre prohibited area except greenery; boundary of the site and signages should be done by the State government; space for education and interpretation of the site for public; involvement of archaeologist at the time of excavation and mitigation measures to be taken at the time of construction.

This comes after the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority asked Reach Foundation to undertake the Heritage Impact Assessment for development of the terminus and submit a report.

The project is likely to have 250 bus bays where in government buses will have 165 bays while private buses will have the remaining. The terminus will have parking facility for 300 spare buses. It will also have car parking facilities (275 cars) and two-wheeler parking facilities (3,582 vehicles). A separate bus stand for city buses to operate to Koyambedu and other parts of the city is also being proposed in five acres.

The terminus will have escalators as well as separate facility for lactating mothers. It will also have dormitories for bus crew, waiting hall for bus passengers and will have drinking water and sanitation facilities.

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The project will also have commercial centres. There are also plans to link the bus terminus with Chennai Metro from Tambaram.