Bus service on EB Road on the anvil

Close on the heels of the decision to shift wholesale traders of the Gandhi Market to the newly built market at Kallikudi, which is expected to ease traffic congestion around the Gandhi Market, Collector K. Rajamani has begun consultation with the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and other stakeholders to operate bus services along the East Boulevard Road in the city.

Operation of bus service from Chathram Bus Stand via Maharani Theatre along East Boulevard Road to Central Bus Stand and Tiruverumbur-Thuvakudi is a long pending demand of residents of various residential colonies around Devathanam, Sanjeevi Nagar, Town Station and others. The absence of bus service has been a blessing for lorries and heavy vehicle mechanics for several years, as they have literally converted the East Boulevard Road as a road for repairing four wheelers mainly lorries and buses. The mechanics use the public road for carrying out repair and maintenance. Some of them use the road for parking abandoned vehicles too.

The road has a number of spare parts shops. It has become a hub for used spare parts for lorries and buses. The traffic congestion, caused by loading and offloading of vegetables, fruits and flowers from the Gandhi Market, is said to be another bottleneck in operating bus service on East Boulevard Road.

However, the authorities and traffic managers see a bright hope for introducing bus service from Chathram Bus Stand to Central Bus Stand via Maharani Theatre following the shifting of wholesale traders of the Gandhi Market to Kallikudi on the outskirts of the city. They agree that it will ease traffic congestion around Gandhi Market and ultimately pave way for operating bus service on East Boulevard Road.

Stating that shifting of wholesale traders had reached an advanced stage, Collector K. Rajamani told The Hindu that it would gradually lead to smooth flow of traffic around the Gandhi Market. He had received a number of representations to ply bus service to connect several residential colonies along the East Boulevard Road. He said he had begun consultations with the TNSTC authorities and others to operate bus services. The immediate priority was to allot shops to wholesale traders of Gandhi Market in Kallikudi market. Once it became operational, he would convene a meeting of officials concerned to identify bus service routes on East Boulevard Road.

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