Unprepared CMBT to handle footfall of 3.5 lakh commuters for festival rush
Yogesh Kabirdoss| TNN | Sep 28, 2017, 00:07 IST
Chennai: Boarding buses at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) could be a nightmare for commuters as thousands of passengers would make a beeline to Koyembedu from Thursday for visiting their hometowns on the account of Dasara holidays. Apart from the ordeal, people may have to put up with hardships at the terminus as it is not prepared to handle the massive footfall thanks to poor amenities.
Filthy toilets, poor housekeeping and stale food greet passengers at the CMBT. The facility is maintained by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). Munnar-bound passenger Ranjth said, "The housekeeping services at the terminus are very poor. The biggest problem is the smelly toilets, while the floors are dirty," he said.
During weekends, CMBT records an average footfall of two lakh passengers. However, it increases by one and half times during the festival season with long weekends like the Durga pooja holidays beginning Friday. Another passenger Anbu complained that the quality of food sold at the stalls in the terminus was not good and also costly. "The cost of a packet of tamarind rice is Rs 60 and it tastes poor. Passengers have no choice as they are left with no other option within the premises of the terminus," he added.
A visit to the place on Wednesday found water leaking from the ceiling near the bay for buses departing to southern districts. The terminus with a capacity to park 450 buses is likely to operate at least 3,000 buses, of which 1,000 are special ones, to different parts of the state from Thursday. The special buses have already started arriving at the terminus since Wednesday morning.
When contacted, officials at CMBT said adequate basic amenities are available at the terminus. There are no issues with housekeeping, the sources added.
Yogesh Kabirdoss| TNN | Sep 28, 2017, 00:07 IST
Chennai: Boarding buses at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) could be a nightmare for commuters as thousands of passengers would make a beeline to Koyembedu from Thursday for visiting their hometowns on the account of Dasara holidays. Apart from the ordeal, people may have to put up with hardships at the terminus as it is not prepared to handle the massive footfall thanks to poor amenities.
Filthy toilets, poor housekeeping and stale food greet passengers at the CMBT. The facility is maintained by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). Munnar-bound passenger Ranjth said, "The housekeeping services at the terminus are very poor. The biggest problem is the smelly toilets, while the floors are dirty," he said.
During weekends, CMBT records an average footfall of two lakh passengers. However, it increases by one and half times during the festival season with long weekends like the Durga pooja holidays beginning Friday. Another passenger Anbu complained that the quality of food sold at the stalls in the terminus was not good and also costly. "The cost of a packet of tamarind rice is Rs 60 and it tastes poor. Passengers have no choice as they are left with no other option within the premises of the terminus," he added.
A visit to the place on Wednesday found water leaking from the ceiling near the bay for buses departing to southern districts. The terminus with a capacity to park 450 buses is likely to operate at least 3,000 buses, of which 1,000 are special ones, to different parts of the state from Thursday. The special buses have already started arriving at the terminus since Wednesday morning.
When contacted, officials at CMBT said adequate basic amenities are available at the terminus. There are no issues with housekeeping, the sources added.
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