All city buses in Tiruchi to be extended up to integrated bus terminus at Panjapur from July 16

All city bus services operating from the Central Bus Stand in Tiruchi will now be extended up to the newly opened Integrated Bus Terminus (IBT) at Panjapur via Mannarpuram roundabout while continuing to run through their existing city routes, said Collector V. Saravanan on Monday.

Mr. Saravanan told presspersons that all city buses would continue to originate from the Central Bus Stand, reach the IBT via Mannarpuram roundabout, and return on the same route. Given the expected commuter volume, city bus services at Panjapur will begin as early as 3 a.m. daily. The bus fares had not been increased.

All mofussil buses will operate from the new bus terminus. Buses entering Tiruchi from Chennai, Tirupati, Vellore, Villupuram, Kancheepuram, and Puducherry will take the No. 1 Tollgate, Old Palpannai, National Highway route to reach the IBT and return on the same route.

Buses from Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Velankanni, and Karaikal will reach the IBT via Thuvakudi, Tiruverumbur, Old Palpannai, TVS Tollgate, and Mannarpuram roundabout. Buses from Namakkal, Salem, and Bengaluru will go via the No. 1 Tollgate, Old Palpannai, TVS Tollgate, and Mannarpuram roundabout to reach the terminus.

Buses from Pudukottai, Aranthangi, and Rameshwaram will reach the terminus via the Airport, TVS Tollgate, and Mannarpuram roundabout. While buses from Manapparai, Dindigul, Palani and Kumuli will go via Junction Roundabout and the Mannarpuram roundabout route to reach the IBT.

Buses from Karur, Erode, Thiruppur, and Coimbatore will take the Chathiram bus stand, Karur Bypass, Sastri Road, District court, Collectorate, VOC Street, Central Bus Stand, Mannarpuram Roundabout route to reach the terminus. Buses from Madurai, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, and Tirunelveli will reach the bus terminus via the national highway. Mofussil buses will operate as usual from the Chathiram bus stand.

Omni buses can pick up passengers from the temporarily allotted long-term parking bay near the IBT. The operators should not park the omnibuses near the Central bus stand and pick up passengers.

All buses entering the IBT will enter via Security Gate CP-2, and all buses, except Madurai-bound buses, leaving the terminus will go up to the Panjapur Junction on the national highway and then take a U-turn.

About 20 tea shops, 12 food stalls, and 10 snack counters have been set up for the passengers. A total of 228 workers have been deployed to maintain cleanliness at the terminus. The city police have deployed 52 personnel for the protection of the passengers. Arrangements for auto and taxi service have been made. Around 30 volunteers have been appointed to assist passengers, and training has been provided to them, and three battery-operated vehicles are kept on standby for senior citizens. A 24-hour on-call health desk with an ambulance is stationed at the facility, the Collector said.