Residents on board with proposed Avadi terminus revamp; seek temporary relocation of bus stand

Residents of Avadi have long been requesting the redevelopment of both the railway station and the bus terminus in the area to help commuters have seamless access between them, as both transport facilities suffer from poor amenities.

While the Southern Railway has begun upgrading the Avadi railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), with the work expected to be completed by the end of this year, the bus terminus continues to reel under poor passenger facilities. Located on CTH Road, directly opposite the railway station, the bus terminus has become a key transport hub for residents travelling to the city, as well as to the southern areas — particularly Tambaram and Kilambakkam via the Outer Ring Road — and to the Poonamallee Bus Terminus.

As the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has been struggling financially to redevelop the Avadi bus terminus, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), which executed both the Koyambedu and Kilambakkam bus terminals, has come to its rescue.

Slew of amenities

A senior CMDA official, providing details about the modernisation of the bus terminus, for which a function was held on Wednesday (July 9, 2025), said that a three-storeyed facility would be built at a cost of ₹36.06 crore. With a built-up area of 65,000 sq. ft., the terminus will include a food plaza, shopping area, public conveniences, a water purification plant, and restrooms for bus crew. The ground floor, designated exclusively for bus bays, will accommodate parking for 22 buses at a time. The terminus will also feature a spacious waiting area measuring nearly 5,000 sq. ft., along with a timekeeper’s office and other administrative offices.

The CMDA official said that as parking facilities have become a mandatory amenity for commuters, with both Metro and suburban railway stations offering them, the CMDA has made arrangements to accommodate parking for 500 vehicles, including cars.

CMDA Minister P.K. Sekar Babu had already announced the redevelopment of the Avadi bus terminus in the 2024-25 budget for the CMDA. The reconstruction work will be completed within two years, the senior official added.

Need for skywalk

While residents are happy that the bus terminus is finally being reconstructed, they are concerned that the work will proceed alongside ongoing bus operations, similar to how redevelopment is being carried out at railway stations under the ABSS. They have urged authorities to temporarily shift the bus terminus to a vacant ground owned by the Defence Department, to prevent buses from being parked on CTH Road and worsening traffic congestion. Residents argue that operating buses from a portion of the old terminus is not a viable option.

Social activist T. Sadagopan said that with the State government proposing to construct a Metro rail line from Koyambedu to Pattabhiram, passing through the Avadi bus terminus, the terminus is set to become a major transport hub, similar to Tambaram.

He pointed out that the railway station, located on the southern side of CTH Road, along with heavy traffic congestion and the absence of a pedestrian signal, poses serious inconvenience and danger to pedestrians. To ensure easy and safe access between the bus terminus, Metro station, and railway station, he suggested constructing a skywalk, similar to the one connecting the T. Nagar bus terminus and Mambalam railway station.

K.S. Gopalakrishnan, a longtime resident of Pattabhiram, suggested that the MTC should shift a portion of its bus operations to Pattabhiram during the reconstruction of the Avadi bus terminus.

A senior official of the MTC, meanwhile, said they would explore the option of shifting the bus terminus to the vacant ground located behind the current bus terminus. 

Non-functional escalators

Avadi residents also highlighted that the escalators installed at the railway station and made operational a few months ago have not been functioning or are being switched off during non-peak hours. Yuvan Shankar, a resident of Avadi, said several commuters, including senior citizens and women with children, are inconvenienced by this.