After more than four years of renovation work, the restored ₹13.55-crore integrated bus terminus on the Ranipet-Walajah Main Road was opened for public use, ahead of Deepavali.

Officials of Ranipet municipality, which executed the multi-crore work, said that the old terminus was built more than five decades ago with very few facilities for commuters. “The restored terminus helps people board long-distance buses. The facility has better seating arrangements and safety features for commuters,” said S. Kumar, a commuter.

Funded under Kalaignar Nagarpura Membattu Thittam 2022-23 that aims to fulfil the infrastructural gaps in the urban local bodies, work to restore the terminus was started in 2022. “The restored bus terminus will help commuters, especially women and senior citizens to board buses safely as round-the-clock surveillance is in place. A help desk is also available to guide commuters,” said D. Senthil Kumar, Commissioner, Ranipet municipality.

Collector N. Priya Ravichandran inspected the restored bus terminus in the town in the presence of transport and municipal officials. The restored bus terminus will operate buses to Bengaluru, Vellore, Vandavasi, Cheyyar, Chengam, Arcot, Ranipet, Coimbatore, Salem, Kancheepuram, Hosur, and Dharmapuri.

Among civic amenities, the terminus has a purified drinking water facility, solar-powered LED streetlights, digital timing boards, feeding room, a police booth, and CCTV cameras. A police outpost will also be set up in the coming days.

Every day, on an average, more than 200 buses operated by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation ply from the terminus. Commuters said that additional buses to towns such as Tiruvannamalai, Sholinghur, Arcot, Gingee, and Kancheepuram should be operated at the terminus.