Tiruchirapalli City Corporation would soon move the government to get administrative sanction for establishing a bus stand for the heritage town of Srirangam at Panchakarai on the banks of the Coleroon.
The corporation that had appointed a consultant to design and prepare a detailed estimate for the project has finalised the 6.69-acre site at Panchakarai, adjacent to Yatri Nivas that is coming up there. The site was narrowed down after four or five options were considered, officials said. On Thursday, Local Administration Minister K.P. Munusamy inspected the site along with T.P. Poonachi, Minister for Khadi and Village Industries, R. Manoharan, Chief Whip, Jayashree Muralidharan, Collector, and corporation officials.
Despite being a major tourist attraction, Srirangam does not have a proper bus stand. Town and mofussil buses and tourist vehicles have to be parked on the roadside. The town with a population of about 1.02 lakh attracts a floating population of about 20,000 every day. Nearly 300 tourist vehicles visit the town every day. The corporation has decided to establish the bus stand at a cost of Rs. 24 crore on a portion of its old sewage treatment farm.
“The conceptual plan has been finalised. We will soon forward a proposal to the government for getting administrative sanction,” Corporation Commissioner V.P. Thandapani told The Hindu .
He said while the bus stand with 26 bus bays and associate amenities would be set up in an area of about three acres, a parking lot for four-wheelers and two-wheelers would be established in the remaining portion of the land in the rear.
The civic body has decided to divert the sewage flow to the farm through a separate drain under Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Project (TURIP) at a cost of Rs. 3.2 crore and the work has commenced. The drain will be connected to the new underground drainage (UGD) system currently being established in Srirangam, Mr. Thandapani said.
Mr. Munusamy also inspected the progress of work on the UGD and drinking water supply augmentation scheme for the city being implemented with Japanese assistance.
