Soon, wait in AC bus shelters at four locations

Chennai: Weary commuters will get air-conditioned bus shelters at four locations in the city: Kolathur, Royapuram, Wall Tax Road, and Perambur. Tenders have been floated by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA)to execute the 8 crore project.Announced during the Budget session of the state assembly, the shelters will have 78 seats each at Kolathur, Royapuram, and Wall Tax Road, and 54 seats at Perambur. Toilets for men and women and a borewell for water supply will also be provided.The built-up area ranges from 1,265sqft. at Perambur to 1,754sqft. at the other three locations. CMDA has set a four-month timeline for completion from the date of handing over the site to the contractor."With Chennai's summers, air-conditioned bus stops will significantly improve the daily experience for commuters. When public spaces are thoughtfully designed, people are more likely to use public transport. This will have a big impact on sustainable mobility," said a senior CMDA official.While the move has drawn praise, commuters say it's incomplete without restoring air-conditioned bus services."I take the bus to Royapuram every day. An AC shelter is welcome, but we hardly see AC buses anymore. Earlier, services ran from Perambur to Besant Nagar, Avadi to Tambaram — even from Central to Thiruvanmiyur. The city needs them back," said Uday Kumar, a commuter."The key challenge will be maintenance. Without proper upkeep and commuter discipline the facilities may not last. The city's first air-conditioned bus stop in Asargana, opposite Alandur Metro station, is now defunct. It was opened to the public in 2015 and was built for 1.25 crore," said M Somasundaram, member of a voluntary consumer group for MTC.