Commissioning Mangaladevi bus terminal hangs in balance on road divider issue

Two annual festivals and Navaratri festivities have gone by since the Mangaladevi Bus Terminal was inaugurated twice in February 2025; yet the city administration has not put the terminal to use to reduce traffic congestion in front of the ancient Mangaladevi Temple.

Constructed at an estimated cost of ₹5 crore by Mangaluru Smart City Ltd., the terminal was expected to ease congestion near the temple by routing private city buses plying out of Mangaladevi Temple through it.

The Mangaluru City Traffic police insist that a median/ divider should be in place between Mangaladevi Circle and the temple (about 500 metre length) before allowing the shifting of city bus operations. With no dividers, vehicles are parked in the middle of the road in front of the temple complicating traffic management, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) K. Ravi Shankar.

City buses plying to Mangaladevi at present are given permits to operate via Marnamikatte, Morgan’s Gate, Jeppu Market and Mulihithlu Junction, except Route No. 27. Under the revised plan, buses would enter the new terminal from Jeppu Market itself, then proceed to Mangaladevi Temple to drop/pick up passengers, take a left turn towards Mulihithlu Junction before proceeding via Morgan’s Gate.

Dividers and terminal distinct

The temple management argues that dividers on Car Street would affect smooth movement of the chariot amid a sea of devotees, twice a year — during the annual jathre in March and the Navarathri. “There is no relation between installing dividers and commissioning the bus terminal,” said Temple Managing Trustee Arun Kumar Aithal. Installing dividers would throw the Rathotsava out of gear as the reduced road width cannot accommodate the chariot and thousands of devotees.

Trial run

The core of the issue is buses should not remain idle in front of the temple, thereby contributing to traffic congestion; the new terminal is a solution for this. At least, the authorities should have conducted a trial of the new system for a month before deciding on the issue, Mr. Aithal told The Hindu. The management had even agreed to provide space for a bus bay, opposite the existing one, under the revised plan.

Though the traffic police say temporary dividers that can be removed during the chariot festival would be installed, it appears impractical as those concrete dividers, even if placed on the side of the road, would affect the movement of general public and devotees, Mr. Aithal said.