With the deadline to hand over a major portion of the Kempegowda Bus Station (KBS) land to Bangalore Metro for construction of the Majestic underground station fast approaching, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has begun the process of remodelling the bus station.
Though the KBS, once the single largest intra-State and inter-State bus terminal, has been shedding its load over the years with the operationalisation of Mysore Road and Shantinagar terminals, the imminent handing over of 22 out of its 32 acres of land for Metro work has forced the KSRTC to remodel the terminal for optimum use of space.
However, the adjacent Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) terminal, spread over eight acres of land, will remain unaffected by the Metro work.
KSRTC Managing Director Gaurav Gupta told The Hindu the existing platforms at KBS will be remodelled to accommodate more buses with less idling time. The front portion of the terminal building will also accommodate new platforms, passenger shelters and other amenities. The remodelling will cost the corporation about Rs. 5 crore.
Mr. Gupta said KSRTC cannot put passengers in trouble till the Metro underground stations and the inter-modal transit centre are built. Construction of Metro station itself will take three years and hence the corporation has decided to optimise the facilities within the available land.
Operational purposes
After handing over the land to Bangalore Metro, KSRTC will be left with only 10 acres of land that house the existing bus bays, terminal building and the front portion facing BMTC terminal. Bangalore Metro will retain 7.5 of the 22 acres after completion of the underground station construction for operational purposes such as entry and exits.
With the remodelling, the number of departures from KBS will come down to 1,600 a day from 2,500. Operations have been shifted to Mysore Road and Shanthinagar terminals while the one at Byappanahalli on Old Madras Road is ready, Mr. Gupta said.
During remodelling, KSRTC will give priority for passenger amenities, including toilet facilities. In all, five standard toilet blocks will be built in the terminal, including three in the front portion. The idea is that toilets should be within a 50 to 100-metre reach from any platform, Mr. Gupta said.
Divisional Controller (KBS) M.P. Prabhu Das said the front portion of the terminal building will, unlike the existing parallel platforms, house three rows of platforms which can accommodate 25 buses at a time. The KBS land facing Shantala Silks will be used for parking of cars and two-wheelers, he added.
