The work on the new bus stand complex here will be completed within three months, as per an agreement signed between the grama panchayat and the Kerala Agro-Industries Corporation (KAICO), which is constructing the terminal.
According to grama panchayat president Pravda Shivarajan, the bus stand terminal will be opened within four months and there is a proposal that the old bus stand will also be used as a transit station to ease the traffic congestion in the town . “KAICO has re-started the work two days back and only minor works are remain to be completed,'' she said and added that with the opening of the new bus stand complex, a regular income in the form of rent would be accruing to help the panchayat to tide over its financial crisis. There are 30 shutters and a hall to function as restaurant to be rented out.
The work on the bus stand project was started in 2006 after availing a loan of over Rs. one crore from a bank at Thrissur. The panchayat was paying a hefty amount as interest for the loan since then impacting on other development projects.
As per the agreement between KAICO and the grama panchayat, the construction of the bus stand complex had to be completed in the following year. Sources said that the initial cost of the project was fixed at Rs. 1.44 crore which was revised later. The work on the bus stand complex delayed due to difference of opinion between the agency and the grama panchayat over the cost involved in the project. While KAICO argued that it had incurred more amount for the project than the amount allotted to it, the panchayat pointed out that the additional work of filling the ground was done by KAICO without assigning it to do so.
Though as per the previous agreement, the work had to be completed before April this year, KAICO stopped the construction till it re-started the work two days back.
Sources said that the panchayat had written to KAICO for restarting the work and a final agreement was entered up on to complete all the works in three months.
The opening of the new bus stand will considerably reduce the traffic congestion being faced on the main road in the Central junction and in the bust stand which is also being used by the KSRTC for conducting the services.
