Expression of Interest (EoI) for setting up modern bus shelters in the city would be floated next week.
The Town Planning Standing committee of the Kochi Corporation, which met last week, took a decision to this effect. It is estimated that each unit would cost around Rs. 3.5 lakh. The agencies will have to submit the designs for the bus shelters and the corporation will select the ideal ones suited for broad and narrow city roads, it was decided.
The new bus shelters would be constructed in such a way that it would not obstruct the pedestrian flow along the roads. Most of the bus shelters in the city were found to be obstructing the pedestrian flow as they jutted into the road. The agencies would be asked to provide Global Positioning System, telephone and facilities for drinking water at the bus shelters. Around 150 such bus terminals are planned in the city. Sticking of posters and bills would be strictly prohibited in the shelters, said E.M. Sunilkumar, chairman of the committee.
The advertisements of the State government and Kochi Corporation would be there in the bus shelters. The agencies which would be selected for setting up the shelters would be free to display hoardings and other publicity materials so as to recover their investment. At the same time, they would also have to make sure that the space is not misused for displaying unauthorised posters and other publicity materials, he said.
The committee has decided to allow the agencies to run the shelters for three years. The management and the maintenance of the shelters would be the responsibility of the agencies. They would be constructed on Build-Operate-Transfer mode.
New shelters will be identified in the newly developed city roads. The committee hopes to complete the tendering and other paper works related to the project by April and complete the constructions before June.
Tenders for 50
The committee has also decided to tender the 50 renovated terminals in the city as the lease term for them would expire on March 31. Presently, they are managed by an association of publicity agencies.
