| Central Bus Station | |
| Address: | V.O.C. Road, Cantonment, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. PIN620 001. |
| Country: | India |
| Platform: | 5 (77 Bays) |
| Parking: | Yes |
| Bicycle: | Yes |
| Opened: | [1] |
| Code: | TRI (SETC) TRH (KSRTC) |
| Owned: | Tiruchirappalli Municipal Corporation |
| Operator: | Department of Transport (Tamil Nadu) |
| Passengers: | 1,00,000 per day |
Central Bus Station, popularly known as Central Bus Stand, is one of the bus termini of Trichy, located near Cantonment, the other being the Chatram Bus Stand.[2]
The terminus spread over an area of 4.5acres is managed by the Department of Transport (Tamil Nadu). Being a major transit point in the central region of the state,[1] it experiences heavy traffic of about 2,200 buses daily.[3] These buses serve about one lakh (100,000) passengers every day.[4]
The terminus handles Mofussil intercity bus services, express buses, highway buses and sleeper buses at scheduled hours as it serves as a transit point for travelling in any direction round the clock. The terminus is well utilised by buses belonging to the SETC, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and numerous private operators.
It also serves TNSTC's transit buses for Srirangam, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruverrumpoor, SRM Medical Institutions, Uraiyur, Tiruchirapalli Junction Railway Station, Tiruchirapalli International Airport, Rockfort, K. K. Nagar, HAPP, Keeranur, TNPL, BIT, Ponmalai, Prattiyur, Manikandam, Samayapuram, Edamalaipatti Pudur, Anna University, Tiruchirapalli Chathiram Bus Station, Vayalur, Kottapattu, Panchapur, Mannachanallur, Paal Pannai, Ariyamangalam, Thuvakudi, NIT, Thuraiyur and Viralimalai(via Kallikudi Integrated Market) just outside the terminus on the Rockins road.[5] [6]
During 2008, the city corporation acquired about 1.6ha of land belonging to railways for expansion. As a result, the town bus terminus was moved just outside the station to Rockins road with new bus shelters. To accommodate the evergrowing movement of mofussil buses, two additional platforms were extended up to 45m (148feet) thereby increasing the number of bays from 55 to 77. Also in addition, a multi-storeyed two-wheeler parking lot inside the bus station was constructed.[7] Post expansion, following demands to honour A.S.G. Lourdusamy Pillai,[8] former chairman of Tiruchi Municipality and father of Adaikalaraj,[9] the name of the bus station was officially to A. S. G. Lourdusamy Pillai Central Bus Station and with certification.
Due to the strategic location of the terminus within the city and the city within the state, it is quite often to witness heavy traffic particularly during festivals.[10] [11] Ever since during the 1990s a proposal for a new integrated bus stand was mooted under the scheme of Integrated Urban Development Programme, small and medium towns (Municipalities and Town Panchayats).[12] Initially about 244.28acres at Panjappur, near NH 45B was identified, but was dropped citing as flood prone area. Again sites at Devadhanam, Corporation garbage dump at Ariyamangalam and Defence land in Mannarpuram were suggested. For the 86acres site at Devadhanam, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board refused to issue a mandatory No Objection certificate due to the proximity of the Cauvery river and a possible pollution in future and so as the farmers and residents of the area opposed the move for same reason and went to court.[13] Yet the 100acres defence land at Mannarpuram was favoured due to its proximity to Tiruchirappalli Junction and within the centre of city, but slow response from Ministry of Defence keeps the issue lingering.[4] The fate were same for the site at Ramji Nagar, near NH 45 and Kottapattu, near NH 210. The committee which was constituted by the court in 2006 to find an amicable and consensual decision, composed of officials from Revenue, Town and Country Planning, Corporation, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Public Works Department, started the process afresh during mid-2011.[14]
The terminus is about away from Tiruchirappalli Junction and about from Tiruchirappalli International Airport.