Topographic survey report ready for integrated bus stand at Karikkamury

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has completed a topographic survey of its 1.90 acres land at Karikkamury in Kochi, next to its existing bus stand premises, to build a new integrated bus stand which would in all probability be shared by KSRTC and private buses.

The design is expected to be released shortly for the bus stand that is expected to cost approximately ₹12 crore, sources said. “Prior to this, a meeting headed by Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar was held, to ready the groundwork for the proposed bus stand complex. This was followed by the topographic survey, whose report was forwarded to the KSRTC’s head office a week ago.”

The final design, including aspects like the number of bus bays, is expected to be approved shortly. As per plan, the work for the project is to begin in six months’ time, they said.

The proposed bus stand would come up at one end of the eight acre plot that KSRTC owns in the heart of the city, less than a km distance from MG Road.

The KSRTC decided to build the project on its own, after a plan to source ₹12 crore from Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML), failed to take off.

Interestingly, the designs for new KSRTC bus stands in four towns in southern districts were finalised a week ago.

The demand to renovate the agency’s existing ill-maintained bus stand that gets inundated even in a moderate rainfall, dates back to well over two decades. As per plan, the premises of the existing bus stand complex will be raised and a compound wall built, to prevent water from the adjacent canal from entering the premises. The preparatory work for this has begun and drains are being built, it is learnt.

NGO demand

The Ernakulam Vikasana Samity, an NGO, was among those who were vociferous in seeking its renovation and optimal use of the vast, KSRTC owned land. Its president K.S. Dileep Kumar spoke of how a few thousand people were put to difficulty daily due to the pathetic condition of the bus stand premises.

“Little progress has been made at thr ground level, despite successive Governments making assurances. The KSRTC and decision makers in the Government must learn from how dozens of modern bus stands have been built in neighbouring Tamil Nadu and in Karnataka.”

However, a glimmer of hope remains, as the KSRTC has now finalised the design for four new terminals in other towns in Kerala, he added.