Chennai: The Mint or Vallalar Nagar bus station, which had been treated as an impromptu garbage dump for months now, is set to be rescued as the CMRL, which was using it for some years, announced plans to renovate it.
The facility had been taken over by the CMRL for the construction of Washermanpet metro station. Officials say that the new bus terminal will be built such that its entrance will open directly to the Washermenpet Metro station.
Sources say that the CMRL had taken over the mint bus stop about five years ago. The new flyover Mint which leads up to Stanley Hospital, which was built since the bus stop became defunct, now obstructs the entrance of the old terminal. As it is, the decades-old two-bay terminus lacked in amenities like a good waiting area and toilet facilities. The CMRL had recently cleaned the garbage which collected in the compound after the completion of the Washermanpet metro station.
Sources say that the delay of over six months was caused as the entrance of the terminal had to be redesigned. Mint, or Vallalar Nagar bus terminal, is an integral terminus that is a major beginning point in north Madras.
