The Hindu : Rivals claim credit for Koyambedu project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 21, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Rivals claim credit for Koyambedu project

By R.K. Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI Nov. 20. Both the DMK and the AIADMK claim credit for creation of the Chennai mofussil bus terminus (CMBT), inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, on November 18. A perusal of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority's public documents shows that the AIADMK can lay claim to the concept and acquisition of the land. But the terminal was subsequently planned and built by the DMK Government.

The scheme was first thought of seven years ago, during the days of the Jayalalithaa-driven Madras Vision 2000. The then top brass of the Special Officer-led Chennai Corporation felt that it would be in the best interests of the city to move all bus termini to the periphery, just as it was being contemplated to shift markets in the Central Business District. The CMDA followed up this suggestion. The present Urban Development Minister, Anitha R.Radhakrishnan, says Ms. Jayalalithaa, in 1994, issued orders for establishment of the Koyambedu bus stand. Later, again during the AIADMK regime, the transfer of land from the Metrowater's Koyambedu facility took place. But there was no further development, according to officials who were associated with the project then.

As relieving the city of congestion has been a running theme for more than two decades, the intention of decongesting the Central Business District of Sowcarpet-Parrys is not new. This finds mention in the first Master Plan for Madras. Though it did not spell out shifting of the bus terminus out of the city, the plan, which based itself on the Madras Metropolitan Area plan for 1971-1991, identified the need for ``decongestion of the core of the core city'' and suggested a slew of measures, some of which were found impractical by the then Government planners, and, others required large investments. While the CMDA's draft second Master Plan of 1995, also mentions the need for decongesting the city, there is no mention of the bus terminal project. This plan has been subsequently, thoroughly redrafted. The new plan will be released shortly.

In July 1998, a sustainable Chennai project workshop, on ``reduction of traffic congestion and improving air quality,'' organised by the CMDA, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements and the United Nations Development Programme, said that ``in pursuit of the development strategy to decongest the city-core, the planning and development of the Koyambedu terminal should be implemented expeditiously.''

Even earlier, the Rail India Technical and Economic Services, in 1997, completed a design for the project, based on a CMDA proposal. The planning body subsequently shortlisted architects. Later, a design presentation was made to the then Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, in April 1998. In August, the project cost was scaled down from Rs.98 crores to 36 crores. The DMK Government accorded sanction for Rs. 50 crores, which also included the land cost. Mr. Karunanidhi laid the foundation stone in June 1999. The 40,720-sq.m. terminus was expected to be completed by May 2001.

However, the collapse in December 2000 of a pedestrian walkway connecting the gate with the main waiting hall delayed the completion of the project. Then came the May 2001 general elections.

The AIADMK's Urban Development Minister, A. K. Selvaraj, after an inspection of the facility in 2001, said the project would be inaugurated in January 2002. But this date was pushed back to September.

``The groundwork for the construction of the mammoth bus stand in Koyambedu in Chennai was the brainchild of our leader, Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, during her earlier tenure as Chief Minister in 1994,'' insists Mr. Radhakrishnan.

But the CMDA web site does not mention the 1994 GO. It says: ``The CMBT project has been proposed to decongest the existing termini in George Town area, Broadway, MUC, Esplanade and Basin Bridge.

The CMDA, nodal agency, awarded the consultancy study for architectural and engineering design at a cost of Rs.96 lakhs to the RITES in November 1997 and the Government constituted a steering committee to closely monitor progress of the work. Civil works commenced in April 1999.

Administrative approval has been given for the construction of the bus terminal alone at a cost of Rs. 50 crores. Finance has been arranged through the Housing Urban Development Corporation and Tamil Nadu Urban Finance Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited. The Government accorded administrative sanction of Rs. 89.21 crores in G.O. Ms.403 H&WD dated 29.09.99 for development of the CMBT.''

``Finally, what you see now was done by us,'' says an official.

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