Chennai’s bus stations have been moving every 15 years for a number of reasons. The original bus station was located at Paris Corner, but it caused severe traffic congestion on Anna Salai, a major commercial artery. In 2003, the Koyambedu bus station was opened as a replacement. It was located in a more central location, which made it accessible to people from both the north and south of the city. However, it also caused traffic congestion on Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
In recent years, the Velachery area has seen rapid growth due to the development of IT companies. This has led to severe traffic congestion on GST Road, which is the main route to Velachery.
To address these traffic problems, the Tamil Nadu government decided to build a new bus station at Kilambakkam, near Vandalur. The new bus station is located at a major intersection of roads that lead to the port, Meenjhoor Outer Ring Road, Tambaram-Perungalathur Road, Kanchipuram-Vandalur Road, Kelambakkam Road, Vandalur Zoo, and Chengalpattu-Tiruchirappalli Road. This location makes it easily accessible from all parts of the city.
However, there is one major drawback to the new bus station. There is currently no flyover or railway station at Kilambakkam. Buses must currently stop at Vandalur or Utharapakkam and then transfer to other buses.
The Koyambedu bus station is now being closed, but it is likely that it will not be long before it is needed again. The Kilambakkam bus station is likely to become congested as Velachery continues to grow.