Trichy: Five years after the Trichy corporation revamped the Chathiram bus terminus at a cost of ₹28 crore, the transit hub for the city and suburban public transport network has become more chaotic than ever. The renovated terminus has turned into a dreaded zone for city commuters. The recent visit by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to St Joseph's College and the subsequent adversities faced by the public were just the tip of the iceberg. The Times of India discusses five potential problems plaguing the terminus.
Design Flaws in Renovation
Despite being a city bus terminus, the redevelopment plan added 30 bus bays for city buses, which are now largely useless. Since city buses spend only a few minutes picking up passengers, the local body should have designed simple lanes for buses instead of providing bus bays, which are only required for mofussil and long-distance buses. Both private and government buses are not using these bus bays, which are now exploited for parking two-wheelers. Even if used, the 30 bus bays are insufficient for the approximately 425 city buses that operate via the terminus.
Buses Stop Outside the Terminus
Though the Integrated Bus Terminus (IBT) in Panjapur on the Trichy-Madurai National Highway became operational on July 16, 2025, around 350 mofussil buses, including those for Cuddalore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, and Karur districts, continue to operate from Chathiram. A portion of Chennai Trunk Road connecting Srirangam and College Road, which links multiple educational institutions, is used to halt city and mofussil buses. P. Aiyarappan, a road safety activist, said, "Chathiram bus terminus should be exclusively a hub for city and suburban buses. Mofussil buses should be moved to Panjapur IBT or the defunct Central bus stand."
Five Years On, No Elevated Corridor to Decongest Traffic
The 2.6-kilometer-long Kalaignar Arivalayam flyover, connecting Mallachipuram on the Trichy-Karur National Highway with Odathurai near the Cauvery bridge, proposed by the state highways department in 2021, remains only on paper. The elevated road would help vehicles bound for Srirangam, Thiruvanaikoil, Chennai, and Karur bypass the terminus. "The flyover design awaits final approval to commence land acquisition. Assembly elections and changes in alignment have delayed the flyover work," a highways department official said. The flyover could have been a one-stop solution for all the chaos if materialized.
Encroachments Marked But Not Cleared
In July 2022, the Trichy corporation and state highways department identified at least 38 encroachments around the bus terminus. Temporary structures continue to occupy government land, including pavements. However, no major eviction drive has been carried out to date to free up space for public mobility. The space freed from encroachments could be used for pedestrians and for on-street parking.
Traffic Violations and On-Street Parking
Rampant on-street parking, mostly by cars and auto rickshaws near hotels, lodges, and restaurants, choke the roads connecting the bus terminus. While there are three one-way stretches around the terminus, two-wheeler riders and auto rickshaws violate the rules. The public opined that police presence on one-way stretches would curb violations. Pedestrians suffer a lot due to on-street parking, as zebra crossings and timers for pedestrians are missing.
What the Authorities Say
A Trichy corporation official said shifting the mofussil buses out to Panjapur IBT is the way to decongest the area. The vacant spaces near Chathiram have also become a hub for open urination, affecting the city's cleanliness credentials. Trichy police commissioner N. Kamini said, "Our officers conducted a field study to suggest solutions for decongesting the bus terminus. We are discussing how to divert traffic. A traffic survey was done. Other stakeholders will be consulted."
