If everything goes as planned, the present bus terminal of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) in the city will be shifted to a swanky new complex in corporation’s land at Karikkamuri in two years. While the new terminal has been planned on land adjacent to the current stand, a new shopping-cum-commercial complex will come up on land where the current bus station is situated. Both the new bus station and shopping-cum-commercial complex will have all modern facilities.
In the first stage, a two-storeyed administrative block with a 12-bay garage at the ground level will be constructed. The corporation will open tenders for the same on Thursday. “We plan to construct a four-storey swanky shopping complex by demolishing the present bus station. For the purpose, we plan to shift the administrative block and garage next year. The cost to construct the administrative block and garage is estimated at Rs 2 crore. The MLA fund will be used for the same,” said a senior KSRTC official.
The new administrative block will come up in the southern corner of the three-acre property owned by the KSRTC adjacent to the present bus stand. “The design of the complex is prepared in such a way as to utilize the maximum space. Earlier, the administrative wing and garage were in separate places. To utilise the land to the maximum, we are focusing on vertical construction now,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, sources from Transport Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram, said a meeting to discuss the project plan will be held in the presence of transport minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan on Thursday.
“It will take nearly two years to construct the administrative block though we have stated 12 months in the tender notice. Earlier, there was a plan to construct a seven-storey building. But it had to be reworked as our tenders to lease out space in the building received lukewarm response,” the officer said. When contacted, KSRTC chief engineer K Indu said they were hopeful of completing the project on time.
Times of India