Integrated Bus Terminus in Tiruchi yet to become fully operational even six weeks after CM inaugurating it

More than six weeks have passed since the commissioning of the Integrated Bus Terminus (IBT), along with a truck terminal and multiutility facilities centre, at Panjapur on the Tiruchi-Madurai Highway. However, it is yet to be thrown open to the public.

They were established at a cost of ₹492.55 crore on 40 acres of land. The bus terminus has 401 bus bays comprising 141 for long-distance buses, 84 for short-distance buses, 120 for mofussil buses, and 56 for city buses. The facility can accommodate 216 four-wheelers, 1,935 two-wheelers, and 100 autorickshaws. Infrastructure such as cloakroom, ticket counter, guard room, wheelchairs for persons with disabilities, passenger waiting room, feeding room, fire safety system, restrooms for bus crew, security room, police control room, LED screens, and display boards, drinking water facilities, 12 lifts and escalators, 78 shops and toilets have been set up at the terminus.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin declared open the IBT at a function held on May 9. A few buses were operated from the IBT shortly after the inauguration. But the terminus is not fully operational yet. The officials said the IBT would become fully functional once an established system was in place to identify or select traders to run shops and restaurants so as to make available food, snacks, coffee, and others to the travelling passengers. The officials had said it would become operational from June 3. But there was still no clarity on the possible date of full-fledged operation of the bus terminus. This has caused disappointment among the people of Tiruchi, who were eager to witness the operation of buses from the IBT.

“The delay in bringing the IBT to the public has caused disappointment to the residents of Tiruchi. It should be open to the public as early as possible,” says K. Janardhanan, a resident of Thennur.

A senior official of the Tiruchi Corporation told The Hindu it had been decided to outsource the operation and maintenance of the IBT. The tender would be opened on Monday to fix the contractor. The successful contractor would in turn identify the traders to run the tea stalls and restaurants. By taking into various considerations, the IBT might be thrown open to the public in the second week of July.