Modern bus terminal still a mirage

Tirupati: Going by the present state of affairs in APSRTC, Tirupati may not get a modern bus terminal anytime in the near future. The proposals kept on the backburner for one year may remain there for some more time.

Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of APSRTC NV Surendra Babu who assumed office recently told The Hans India that he was not aware of any such move and will definitely look into the issue and do whatever is required. This indicates the fact that it was not in the priority list of the management.

During the early 2017, a high-level committee from the RTC visited the city to study various aspects like existing facilities in the bus stand, passenger rush, number of buses plying everyday among other things. The authorities have also hired the services of an international consultancy to prepare a comprehensive plan to make the bus complex in the pilgrim city a world class facility.

As the firm also prepared a plan for the bus terminal at Vadodara in Gujarat. It was preferred for making a plan for the bus station here. There were two reasons for putting in place a modern bus terminal here. The existing central bus station has three different bus stations called Srinivasa, Sri Hari and Yedukondalu depending on various routes.

Passengers find it very difficult to go from one bus station to another with luggage, children and aged people. Passengers do not have the modern amenities in the bus stations. Except in Balaji bus station, there are no modern toilets. They would not go for modern toilets now as expenditure would be a waste as there is a plan to build a modern station.

It will be very difficult to monitor the influx of passengers in three bus stations as they enter from various ways. Apart from these problems, under the smart city initiative, the government was keen to modernise bus complexes also which will have sufficient number of platforms, parking area for buses, passenger amenities, cellar parking for two wheelers and use the space from the second floor commercially with good hotels, multiplex and others.

Though, the entire project would be taken up under PPP mode, RTC requires at least 30 acres of land to plan for the next 50 years requirements. It has only 12 acres of land at its disposal now. They requested the District Collector and TUDA authorities to provide 30 acres to them to build the complex, which was agreed in principle to allot 25 acres, but not yet materialised.

The idea was to build the modern complex at the new site and use the present bus station for city and mofussil services.The consultancy has submitted its report to the RTC management almost a year back. Still everything was on paper only with no initiation. While, the Railways have already finalised plans, designs and currently looking to go for tender process for the redevelopment of Tirupati railway station, RTC wheels are not moving yet.

By V Pradeep Kumar