Asking the omni buses to operate from Kilambakkam suddenly will put passengers into serious hardship, says the association.
A group of private omni bus operators, along with passengers, went on a protest at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) in Koyambedu on Wednesday, after it was announced that all south-bound omni buses should operate only from the newly-inaugurated Kilambakkam terminus.
According to a circular from Commissionerate of Transport and Road Safety, omni buses operating on the ECR, however, would be departing from the Koyambedu bus terminus along with those operating on the west and northern routes via Vellore and Chittoor. The circular had warned that action would be taken against the owners of south-bound omni buses operating from the Koyambedu bus terminus as per the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
A. Anbalagan of All Omni Bus Operators Association, said thousands of passengers booked the tickets almost two months in advance. Asking the omni buses to operate from Kilambakkam suddenly would put them into serious hardship.
While the officials of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) claimed that all necessary facilities of bus bays and idle parking space were available at Kilambakkam, only 150 buses could be operated from the new terminus against the normal operation of 1,000 omni buses. Moreover, lakhs of passengers had booked the tickets for boarding from Koyambedu for the coming holidays. As there was not enough space, the buses would have to be parked on GST Road which would affect traffic, the association claimed.
A senior official of the Commissionerate of Transport and Road Safety said that on December 28 all omni bus owners had unanimously agreed to commence all their south-bound bus operations from the Kalaignar Centenary bus terminus (KCBT) in Kilambakkam. The omni bus owners associations had also signed the resolution in this regard, he said.
Allowing the omni buses to operate from Koyambedu would result in unhealthy competition, huge revenue loss to the State government and heavy traffic congestion during night time. Moreover, the purpose of building the KCBT would be nullified, the official said.
Denying the allegation of inadequate facilities at KCBT, CMDA officials said 27 booking counters had been earmarked exclusively for omni bus operators in the first floor. Around 300 dormitories and 77 bus bays had been built. Also an idle parking space for 90 to 100 buses were available at the KCBT with a separate parking space being made available in Mudichur on five acres of land.
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