The authorities in charge of Thampanoor bus stand-cum-shopping complex are striving to get it operational by the year-end. Unable to meet the June deadline, the contractor, Kumar Group, has set December-end as the new deadline.
Began in March 2010, the Rs 55.96-crore project was set for completion on September 26. A joint venture of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation Limited, the project is planned on BOT basis.
According to Sasikumar, chief planner of Kumar Group, the work was progressing in full swing. “We hope that the terminal will be functional by the end of this year. Construction of the administrative block has been completed. Works on the last floor and interiors are progressing,” he said.
S R Navakumar, chief engineer of KSFDC, said that 75 percent of works were over. Asked about a target time, he said he was not certain and they were striving to complete the work by December.
The work involves construction of the main block and the administrative block. The main bus block consists of 10 floors with parking area for 330 cars and 500 two-wheelers.
The 33,200-square metre bus terminal will have four zones: An arrival bus bay zone; a departure bus bay zone with passenger facilities; a bus terminal supporting facility zone with idle bus parking, repair garage, fuel-filling facility etc; and a commercial zone with a shopping complex and convention centre.
Back in April, Health Minister V S Sivakumar visited the site and asked the authorities to complete the work in September.