Chennai: The Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) at Kilambakkam, once praised for its airport-like amenities and meticulous maintenance, has gradually become a haunt for at least a dozen stray dogs, unsettling thousands of mofussil passengers who use the facility daily.
Incessant barking echoes across the sprawling foyer as the dogs roam the campus, feeding on food waste from eateries and scraps discarded by passengers. S Vijay, who regularly travels from KCBT to his hometown on weekends, said the pack keeps growing while complaints to maintenance staff go unheeded. "It is not clear if the dogs are vaccinated, and not all of them look healthy. This poses a serious health hazard," he said. Dogs often target children and people carrying luggage.
Passengers blamed both the private maintenance agency and terminus officials for their apathy. KCBT officials acknowledged receiving multiple complaints and said they have sought help from the Tambaram Corporation to vaccinate the animals. "Dog bites have also been reported. Passengers are our top priority. We keep urging the corporation to send personnel to vaccinate them," said DRO Paul Rajkumar, in-charge of the terminus. He added that while relocating stray dogs is restricted under existing norms, the animals will be neutered to control their numbers.
Tambaram Corporation officials, meanwhile, cited a manpower shortage as the reason for the delay. "We will carry out the animal birth control procedure at Kilambakkam next week," an official said.
