Special bus services from Chennai to several Tamil Nadu destinations have been shifted from temporary bus terminuses to regular platforms at the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) in Kilambakkam after the number of passengers travelling for the Ayudha Pooja holidays declined.
The revised arrangement took effect on Sunday, October 18, according to a report by DT Next. Passengers travelling on routes affected by the change have been advised to check the new boarding points and plan their journeys accordingly.
Buses bound for Polur, Chetpet and Vandavasi via Tiruvannamalai will now depart from platform 7 at KCBT. These services were earlier operated from the temporary bus terminus at the CMDA Climate Park.
Services to Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam and Thanjavur have also been moved. Buses on these routes, which were earlier operated from the temporary bus terminus at Maraimalai Nagar, will now depart from platform 5 at KCBT.
The special services had been distributed across five locations in Chennai to manage holiday travel demand. These included KCBT in Kilambakkam, the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Bus Terminus in Koyambedu, the Madhavaram New Bus Terminus, the temporary bus terminus at the CMDA Climate Park and the temporary bus terminus at Maraimalai Nagar.
The shift illustrates how the city’s intercity bus operations are being adjusted as demand changes during a major travel period. Temporary boarding locations can help distribute passengers and services during peak movement, but changes in demand allow some routes to be consolidated at established terminals.
For passengers, the immediate operational issue is the change in boarding location. Travellers heading towards Tiruvannamalai and nearby destinations must reach platform 7 at KCBT, while those travelling towards Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam and Thanjavur must use platform 5. Passengers who arrive at the former temporary locations may need to travel to KCBT before boarding.
KCBT is one of the main intercity bus terminals serving southern parts of Chennai and routes towards several destinations in Tamil Nadu. The arrangement for the affected special services now places the listed routes within the terminal’s regular platform system rather than at the temporary facilities used during the holiday period.
Authorities have not indicated any change to the destinations listed in the report. The immediate change concerns the terminals and platforms from which the services will operate. Passengers have been asked to take note of the revised arrangement while planning their journeys.
