The ₹45.61-crore Integrated Bus Terminus, off the Benguluru Highway (NH:48) in Vellore, is nearing completion with over 60% of the total work, including the the terminus, bus bays, shopping area, parking lot and cloak room, completed. The new terminus will be ready by December, officials said.
Funded under the multi-crore Smart City Project by the Vellore Corporation, the new terminus is being built on the spacious 3,187 square metres connecting most of the arterial roads and intersections in the town.
At present, the town has two bus termini. The one under construction will replace the temporary bus stand that has been in existence for more than 15 years, near the Benguluru highway. “The new terminus is being built near highway to decongest the town from chaotic traffic. It will also help long-distance travellers board buses easily,” Vellore Corporation Commissioner N. Sankaran said. The new bus terminus will include three active bus bays, each with a capacity to park at least 28 buses. Eleven idle bus bays are also being built to park outstation buses. A parking lot with the capacity to hold 96 two-wheelers and 15 cars and retiring and rest rooms for bus drivers and conductors will come up at the facility. Among other amenities, there will be two restaurants, an ATM kiosk, public address system and 63 shops. Ramps for the differently abled will also be built. The entire terminus will also come under CCTV camera surveillance, with a police outpost monitoring the movement of vehicles and commuters round the clock.
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The new terminus will be solar powered, especially the lighting facilities. Rooftop solar panels are also being set up for this purpose.
As a stop-gap arrangement, buses to Gudiyatham, Ambur, Tirupathur, Hosur and Bengaluru have been allowed to use the new temporary bus terminus behind the Selliamman temple due to the construction. Likewise, buses to Arakkonam, Tiruttani, Kancheepuram and Chennai have also been using the new temporary bus stand. However, All city buses from Vellore to Arni, Tiruvannamalai, Gudiyatham and Chittoor via Katpadi are being operated from the old bus stand on Anna Salai, near the Fort complex, in the town.