The much-awaited bus terminal on Mettupalayam Road is close to completion.
It will be opened soon as only a few finishing touches need to be given, according to Coimbatore Corporation officials in charge of the project.
The bus terminal is being built as part of measures to de-congest Gandhipuram, especially the Central Bus Stand area on Dr. Nanjappa Road. With the completion of the new stand, 1,108 services (single trips) a day to places up to Udhagamandalam will be operated from here, Corporation Executive Engineer P.A. Ganeshwaran says.
Located on 3.09 acres, the new stand has 25 parking bays for buses. The ground floor will have two air-conditioned waiting halls – one for men and the other for women. A separate room will be provided for lactating mothers. A cloak room and four toilet blocks are the other basic amenities.
Cameras will be installed across the facility and the images will be viewed at a control room for police personnel on security duty.
Three high mast lamps and landscaping are the other works nearing completion. “The terminal has been given ISO certification because of the quality of work,” the official says.
The first floor of the terminal will have space to park 316 two-wheelers, 20 cars and 64 cycles. Wide ramps have been provided separately for entry to and exit from the parking lot. Another section of the first floor will have a restaurant and office-cum-commercial complex space. The second floor will have 4,000 sq.ft. open for commercial establishments. The maintenance of the entire terminal will be given to a single operator. The Regional Transport Office has given B Class certification for the stand and this will fetch the Corporation revenue in the form of parking fee, at the rate of Rs.12 a trip for a bus.
