Truck terminal likely to open in Tiruchi next month

TIRUCHI

Work on redeveloping the city’s only truck terminal on East Boulevard Road in Tiruchi is expected to be completed within a month.

The construction of the terminal began in July 2021 to decongest the commercial streets. “Work on the terminal has picked up pace, and we expect to complete it within a month,” said a senior Corporation official.

The truck terminal is being built on a two-acre plot of land near the Banana Market. The terminal, which will house a dormitory, canteen, toilets, bathrooms and drinking water facilities for the drivers, is being established under the Smart Cities Mission at an estimated ₹14 crore.

In addition to the basic amenities, the terminal will also feature commercial space in which the shops would be rented out. It is aimed at establishing facilities to accommodate over 90 trucks.

The redevelopment work on the existing parking lot was launched due to its inadequate parking space and lack of basic amenities. The civic body will collect a user charge from the truck drivers, and all the information including the truck number and the time of entry and exit of the vehicle will be recorded.

The truck terminal will come as a huge relief to road users who struggle to navigate the heavily clogged EB Road. The poor development of EB Road was attributed to the haphazard parking of trucks on the road and recurring traffic bottlenecks.

With the Gandhi market, truck booking offices and wholesale grocery dealers operating near the terminal, the available space was inadequate as the trucks were parked along the EB Road, affecting vehicular movement.