COIMBATORE: Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has planned to renovate the omnibus terminus near Gandhipuram flyover in Coimbatore at the cost of Rs 3.5 crore under the Central Grants Fund (CGF) scheme.
The Omni Bus Stand located in Ward 48 of the central zone on Sathy Main Road is one of the busiest bus terminus in the city. While the government buses have a terminus at Singanallur, Gandhipuram, Ukkadam and Mettupalayam Road, the private buses are operated from Omni Bus Stand situated near Gandhipuram flyover. The 1.5-acre bus terminus was facing a lot of issues due to space crunch, lack of amenities and rising number of buses.
After the Gandhipuram flyover connecting Dr Nanjappa Road with Sathy Main Road via the GP Signal was completely built, the officials planned to shift the Omni bus stand to a different location, considering the traffic congestion. However, the plan was dropped after the announcement of Vellalore Integrated Bus Terminus project. As the Vellalore IBT project came to a halt, the CCMC officials have decided to renovate the Omni bus stand.
Coimbatore Omni Bus Operators Association’s Secretary N Senthil Kumar told TNIE, “This terminus was designed and developed in 2008 and we can park a maximum of 40 buses here. But currently, around 200 buses come and go every day. Also, there are no facilities for the bus drivers, cleaners and passengers. The modern-day buses have grown in size and it’s very difficult for us to turn them inside the small bus stand. So, the civic body must expand the terminus by using the nearby land where CCMC’s dump yard has been lying dormant for years.”
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Prathap said that they won’t be giving the nearby land for the Omni bus stand’s expansion citing the importance of solid waste management in the city.
“However, we will renovate the Omni bus stand at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore using the CGF. We are going to establish various facilities like toilets, roofing, dormitories, feeding room for mothers, cloakrooms, and parking facilities, among others. The dilapidated road will also be repaired. In view of this, we’ve sent a DPR to the government for approval. Once approved, the works will begin soon,” he added.
