THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fourteen years since it was first mooted, the proposal to build a KSRTC terminal at Enchakkal near the NH bypass, exclusively for long-distance bus services, is gathering dust.
It seems the authorities and government have conveniently forgotten the project which could ease the present traffic at the Thampanoor bus terminal.
A second KSRTC bus terminal in the capital was mooted in 2004. It aimed at making the Enchakkal terminal the major one, on the lines of terminals operating in Chennai and Bengaluru. A proposal was also made to convert the Thampanoor terminal for short distance and city services. This could also reduce the traffic congestion at East Fort, where all the city services are being stationed.
Though the authorities bought 5.75 acres of land from the Agricultural Department for this, the land is now being used as an operating centre and parking lot for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) buses.
In 2016, the then Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan laid the foundation stone for the terminal. The construction work was launched even before preparing the estimate of the project. The structural verification of the project was entrusted to Government Engineering College, Thiruvananthapuram, and the tender for the construction was to be floated in 2016. But, the much-hyped launch was allegedly a gimmick eyeing Assembly election which was then a few months away.
Commuters in favour of the project
Many commuters, hailing from other districts working in VSSC and Technopark, feel that it would be easy for them if the terminal gets functional at Enchakkal.
“It is high time that an exclusive terminal for long-distance buses are set up here. As the city is developing very fast, one more terminal is the need of the hour. But, the financial crunch faced by the KSRTC could be a hindrance,” said T Sreekumar, an employee of VSSC.
When the terminal was proposed, a shuttle service was also proposed between Thampanoor and Enchakkal. Interstate buses will continue to operate from Thampanoor. The terminal-cum shopping complex will also have a two-storeyed building and a bus parking yard, to be built at a budget of Rs 35 crore.
But, the officials now said that neither the design nor the budget has been evaluated or even entrusted to anyone.
Meanwhile, R Indu, chief engineer, KSRTC told Express that the project got stuck due to fund crunch faced by the KSRTC. However, she expressed hope that the project would take off soon as the issue was taken up by V S Sivakumar MLA on Tuesday in the Assembly session.
“Right now, the corporation is facing acute fund crunch. So we can’t give a timeframe for starting the construction works of the project. However, our CMD has also expressed interest to resume the work very soon,” Indu said.
Anayara Mobility Hub
Taking a cue from Vyttila Mobility Hub in Kochi, a state-of-the-art transport hub was also proposed at Anayara near the bypass.
However, the proposal got stuck in red tape. The hub was proposed due to its close proximity with the Kochuveli Railway Terminal, VSSC, and Technopark. The land is being owned by the Agriculture Department. Officials from the civil section of KSRTC said a design is still to be decided upon for the bus stand.