Traffic snarl has become the norm on all the roads near Chathiram Bus Stand in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY
Chaotic traffic continues to prevail around the Chathiram Bus Stand in the city even as a proposal to build an elevated corridor between Chinthamani and Malachipuram on the Tiruchi-Karur National Highway remains on paper, awaiting funds.Marked by poor traffic management, unregulated parking of buses, and lack of proper infrastructure, the situation around the Chathiram Bus Stand has been pathetic for decades.Located in a bustling locality dotted with educational institutions and business establishments, the Chathiram Bus Stand that caters to town bus services and the mofussil terminus functioning on the adjacent roadsides attract thousands of commuters every day. Other road users have to cut across this bustling roads, amidst buses dropping and picking up passengers on the roads all around the bus stand.The mofussil terminus outside Chathiram Bus Stand in the city has been functioning around the overhead tank complex-Kamaraj Statue junction and along the road towards Anna Statue junction without proper bus bays or shelters and other amenities.With a slew of hotels, commercial establishments and a cinema in the vicinity, commuters have to jostle for space with vendors, visitors to the establishments, and vehicles parked on the roadside. There is no clear marking of the bus halts either. While some buses halt on the roadside in front of a cinema, many operate from the open space around the Kamarajar statue roundabout.The redevelopment of the Chathiram Bus Stand under the Smart City Mission, a few years ago by the Tiruchi Corporation, failed to bring about any improvement in the situation as the project did not have any provision for improving the mofussil bus terminus even though it was just an extension of the bus stand.Even after the opening of the Integrated Bus Stand at Panjapur, buses operating on Perambalur, Ariyalur, and other routes continue to operate from the terminus.“Severe traffic congestion prevails around the Chathiram Bus Stand and it has worsened over the past few months, much to the hardship of commuters. Unregulated parking, wrong side driving and other traffic violations are rampant. The road width are shrinking due to encroachments. Even movement of emergency vehicles are affected,” said P. Ayyarappan, coordinator, Road Users Welfare Association and member of the District Road Safety Council.An elevated corridor proposed between Chinthamani and Malachipuram on the Tiruchi-Karur Highway is awaiting sanction by the State government. The State Highways Department had prepared the Detailed Project Report a couple of years ago for the proposed 2.5-km corridor and has been awaiting administrative sanction. The project is expected to entail an investment of approximately ₹450 crore and Highways and Corporation officials believe it would significantly ease the traffic congestion around the Chathiram Bus Stand.But as S. Rajendran, a commuter, said it would be good if the project was sanctioned at the earliest; but until it is cleared, the city police should come up with a proper traffic management plan backed by better regulation and enforcement. Published - June 06, 2026 06:38 pm IST
