Lack of basic facilities at the dilapidated bus terminus on Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH44) in Ambur, near Tirupattur, has irked commuters, including long-distance travellers, as they find it risky to board buses from the facility.
Commuters said the terminus did not have adequate seating arrangements in the waiting area. Most of the existing concrete benches were also damaged. The travellers also had to wait under a leaky roof as the plastering in many places had peeled off over the years. Cracks on the pillars were also visible. “Most of the lights in the terminus are dim and some are even broken. Boarding buses at the terminus in the evening seems to be risky,” said V. Kandan, a commuter.
Spread over 4,500 sq.ft, the terminus was built in 1988 by the Ambur Municipality, which maintains the facility. Around 20 buses can be parked in the bay, and the facility also has 15 petty shops. Most buses from Chennai, Bengaluru, Salem, Erode, Tirupattur and Kancheepuram halt at the terminus. Buses from Andhra Pradesh that pass through Tirupatti also stop at the facility to pick up and drop pilgrims.
On average, over 7,000 commuters board buses from the terminus every day. Most are petty traders, tannery workers, businessmen and tourists. They depend on the bus services to commute to places such as Vaniyambadi, Arcot, Walajah, Ranipet, Tirupattur and Salem.
Despite good patronage, the terminus lacks some essential passenger amenities. Most of the taps are leaky and damaged. The lettering on the signage for bus schedules and routes has faded, forcing commuters to rely solely on the timekeeper. The facility does not have a police booth to assist commuters, especially women and senior citizens. There are also no CCTV cameras on the premises.
“Steps will be taken to improve the facilities at the bus terminus,” said K. Rajendran, Commissioner In-charge, Ambur Municipality.
