Central Bus Station, Tiruchirappalli
Central Bus Station, popularly known as Central Bus Stand, is one of the bus termini of Trichy, located near Cantonment,[2] the other being the Chatram Bus Stand.[3]
Central Bus Station | |
---|---|
General information | |
Location | V.O.C. Road, Cantonment, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. PIN – 620 001. India |
Coordinates | 10.7987°N 78.6805°E |
Owned by | Tiruchirappalli Municipal Corporation |
Operated by | Department of Transport (Tamil Nadu) |
Platforms | 5 (77 Bays) |
Construction | |
Parking | Yes |
Bicycle facilities | Yes |
Accessible | |
Other information | |
Station code | TRI (SETC) TRH (KSRTC) |
History | |
Opened | 1970[1] |
Passengers | |
1,00,000 per day |
The terminus spread over an area of 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) is managed by the Department of Transport (Tamil Nadu). Being a major transit point in the central region of the state,[1] it experiences heavy traffic of about 2,200 buses daily.[4] These buses serve about one lakh (100,000) passengers every day.[5]
Services
The terminus handles Mofussil intercity bus services, express buses, highway buses and sleeper buses at scheduled hours as it serves as a transit point for travelling in any direction round the clock. The terminus is well utilised by buses belonging to the SETC, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and numerous private operators.
It also serves TNSTC's transit buses for Srirangam, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruverrumpoor, SRM Medical Institutions, Uraiyur, Tiruchirapalli Junction Railway Station, Tiruchirapalli International Airport, Rockfort, K. K. Nagar, HAPP, Keeranur, TNPL, BIT, Ponmalai, Prattiyur, Manikandam, Samayapuram, Edamalaipatti Pudur, Anna University, Tiruchirapalli Chathiram Bus Station, Vayalur, Kottapattu, Panchapur, Mannachanallur, Paal Pannai, Ariyamangalam, Thuvakudi, NIT, Thuraiyur and Viralimalai(via Kallikudi Integrated Market) just outside the terminus on the Rockins road.[6][7]
Expansion
During 2008, the city corporation acquired about 1.6 ha (4.0 acres) of land belonging to railways for expansion. As a result, the town bus terminus was moved just outside the station to Rockins road with new bus shelters.[4] To accommodate the evergrowing movement of mofussil buses, two additional platforms were extended up to 45 m (148 ft) thereby increasing the number of bays from 55 to 77. Also in addition, a multi-storeyed two-wheeler parking lot inside the bus station was constructed.[8] Post expansion, following demands to honour A.S.G. Lourdusamy Pillai,[9] former Chairman of Tiruchi Municipality and father of Adaikalaraj,[10] the name of the bus station was officially changed to A. S. G. Lourdusamy Pillai Central Bus Station and accredited with ISO 9001:2008 certification.
Developments
Due to the strategic location of the terminus within the city and the city within the state, it is quite often to witness heavy traffic particularly during festivals.[11][12] Ever since during the 1990s a proposal for a new integrated bus stand was mooted under the scheme of Integrated Urban Development Programme, small and medium towns (Municipalities and Town Panchayats).[13] Initially about 244.28 acres (98.86 ha) at Panjappur, near NH 45B was identified, but was dropped citing as flood prone area. Again sites at Devadhanam, Corporation garbage dump at Ariyamangalam and Defence land in Mannarpuram were suggested. For the 86 acres (35 ha) site at Devadhanam, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board refused to issue a mandatory No Objection certificate due to the proximity of the Cauvery river and a possible pollution in future and so as the farmers and residents of the area opposed the move for same reason and went to court.[14] Yet the 100 acres (40 ha) defence land at Mannarpuram was favoured due to its proximity to Tiruchirappalli Junction and within the centre of city, but slow response from Ministry of Defence keeps the issue lingering.[5] The fate were same for the site at Ramji Nagar, near NH 45 and Kottapattu, near NH 210. The committee which was constituted by the court in 2006 to find an amicable and consensual decision, composed of officials from Revenue, Town and Country Planning, Corporation, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Public Works Department, started the process afresh during mid-2011.[15]
Connections to other modes of transport
The terminus is about 700 metres (2,300 ft) away from Tiruchirappalli Junction[16] and about 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) from Tiruchirappalli International Airport.[17]
References
- S. Ganesan (5 July 2007). "Too many encroachments drive out passengers City Pulse". The Hindu. Tiruchi. Archived from the original on 7 July 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- Google (6 February 2014). "Location of Bus Station" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- R. Gokul (12 July 2013). "Chatram bus stand vendors up in arms against midnight closure of shops". The Times of India. Tiruchi. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- S. Ganesan (3 June 2013). "Town bus terminus at central bus stand cramped for space". The Hindu. Tiruchi. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- S. Ganesan (20 June 2011). "Fate of integrated bus stand hinges on choice of location". The Hindu. Tiruchi. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- "New bus services". The Hindu. 9 June 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- "New buses on roads". The Hindu. 6 January 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- Syed Muthahar, Saqaf (12 June 2013). "An agonising wait at Tiruchi Central bus stand". The Hindu. Tiruchi. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- "CBS should be named after Mr Pillai: Vaiyapuri". Oneindia.in. 30 July 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- "Congress leader L. Adaikalaraj dead". The Hindu. Tiruchi. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- "Temporary bus stands to regulate festival traffic". The Hindu. Tiruchi. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- Syed Muthahar, Saqaf (1 November 2013). "Bus stands and railway station chock-a-block with passengers". The Hindu. Tiruchi. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- "Integrated Urban Development Project (IUDP)". Government of Tamil Nadu. Tiruchirappalli Local Planning Authority. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- "Residents of Devadanam upset". The Hindu The Hindu. 2 August 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- "Fresh start to identification of site for integrated bus stand". The Hindu. Tiruchi. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- Google (6 February 2014). "Directions for Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- Google (6 February 2014). "Directions for Tiruchirappalli International Airport" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 6 February 2014.