Soon, commuters will be able to listen to FM radio stations and charge their mobile phones and laptop while waiting for a bus in Puducherry. The Puducherry Transport Department has planned to set up as many as 20 smart bus shelters as part of the Smart Cities Mission in the Union Territory.
A consultant has been finalised, and the process of preparing the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project is under way. Tenders will be floated shortly, and the Transport Department will implement the project at an estimated cost of ₹3.25 crore, available under the Smart Cities Mission. The System Integrator (contractor) for the project will be finalised by July, official sources said.
“We have planned 20 smart bus shelters in the city. The bus shelters are expected to come up at the Indira Gandhi square, Rajiv Gandhi square, Railway station, bus stand, Raja Theatre signal, Muruga Theatre junction, Venkata Subba Reddiar square, S.V. Patel Salai and the Subbiah Salai-Gingee Salai junction, among other locations. This is a preliminary list based on the space availability at each location, and may vary in the final list,” a senior official said.
The proposed smart bus shelters will have a host of facilities such as CCTVs, modern seating arrangements, LED lights, FM radio, charging sockets for phones/laptops, and ramps for commuters who use wheelchairs. The shelters will be user-friendly for the elderly and persons with disabilities, the official said.
The bus shelters will also be equipped with a Passenger Information System and will provide real-time transit information such as the route numbers of buses, and information on arriving buses with their estimated location and arrival time. The shelters will also be equipped with two LED panels with variable displays. While one panel will provide information on the arrival of buses, private agencies can rent the space on the other for displaying advertisements. The revenue from this will go to the concerned local body.
Smart poles will also be installed at a few bus shelters to give details about the ambient air quality in the region. The smart poles will be integrated with the proposed Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in the city.
The System Integrator will build the infrastructure for the shelters and oversee its maintenance for a period of five years.
