The new bus depot of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and shopping-cum-commercial complex project in the city is yet to take off because of a zoning issue, for which the Transport Corporation has now sought exemption from the Department of Town and Country Planning.
A senior KSRTC official said on Monday that the corporation was awaiting the Department’s decision.
Hibi Eden, MLA, who allotted Rs. 2 crore from the MLA fund for building a garage and office complex before the demolition of the existing buildings, said the Town Planning Department had agreed in principle to grant exemption considering that the proposed complex was a public utility.
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Mr. Eden said the zoning regulation meant that the location of the bus depot was an open space where no buildings should come up. The zoning issue came up with the proposed new bus depot in Palakkad town, which was taken up with the Department by Shafi Parambil, MLA, Mr. Eden added.
He said the District Development Committee and the Corporation of Cochin had given their approvals for getting the zoning exemption.
Work on the project was officially inaugurated in August last year. The current plan is to build a nine-storey structure, which will house the KSRTC offices and commercial space. Bus bays, substantial parking areas and other facilities are part of the plan.
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The initial estimate was that the project would cost around Rs. 20 crore. However, with the delay in project, works the cost might be reworked. The project was likely to be funded through a rent deposit scheme in which the future space-buyers would be involved, said the KSRTC official.
Work on the project was officially inaugurated in August 2014
Zoning rules mean location of bus depot will remain an open space