KOCHI: After years of wait, the state government on Friday issued an order granting Rs 13 crore for the first phase of construction of a new KSRTC bus stand in Ernakulam.
The project will be implemented under the ‘Construction of KSRTC Bus Terminal, Ernakulam, Karakkamuri – Phase 1’ project and it will be carried out under the supervision of the public works department.
The project includes a bus bay covering 465.5 sq m, a steel-structured roof, and modern seating facilities for passengers and a 472 square m building comprising staff offices, an air-conditioned waiting hall, reservation counters and restrooms.
To address waterlogging issues in the area, a 6,198 sq m yard will be raised and paved with 8 cm thick heavy-duty paver blocks. A new drainage system extending 300 m will also be constructed. The new facility will also have an underground water tank with a capacity of 15,000 litres, fire-fighting systems.
“Nearly 30,000 passengers depend the KSRTC bus stand daily. Thus, this project is expected to transform the district. Necessary steps will be taken to complete the construction and open the facility to the public at the earliest,” said MLA T J Vinod, thanking the finance minister for the intervention.