Relocate Vijayanagar bus depot to ease traffic snarls, urge commuters

CHENNAI: Commuters of Velachery urge the government to relocate the bus depot in Vijayanagar due to traffic congestion during peak hours. The local residents stated that after a bridge was constructed recently, it worsened the situation in the locality as the width of the road was reduced.

“The bus depot has been used by buses plying to routes including Tambaram, Pallikaranai, and Taramani. Earlier, vehicle movement was less compared to the current situation, so the traffic was manageable and it would take only 15 to 20 minutes to clear the road. However, now there is a lack of space in the bus depot, and the MTC buses parked block the road,” said M Balakrishnan, a resident of Tansi Nagar in Velachery.

Local residents urged the government to install a traffic signal to control the traffic congestion in the locality, especially during the peak hours.

“Though there is a traffic signal operating in the locality, it fails to control the traffic. It takes at least an hour for the traffic to be cleared near the depot,” added Balakrishnan.

People complain that the bridge constructed in Velachery is one of the main reasons for traffic congestion in the area.

“We thought that the bridge would be helpful to control the traffic but it is not due to space constraints. It has made the situation even worse for the commuters and residents in the locality. Because the road width has been reduced,” said K Srisha, a commuter.

Residents of Velachery suggested that there is a space occupied by private buses near Taramani link road. It is also a suitable place for the people, so the government can take into consideration and relocate the bus depot.

In addition, the civic activists and residents have decided to give a petition to the State Transport Minister to shift the bus depot from Vijayanagar to Velachery.

When contacted, the concerned department authorities did not respond to the calls despite multiple attempts by DT Next.