COIMBATORE: With the Vellalore Integrated Bus Terminus (IBT) not making any progress after the DMK formed the government in 2021, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has started exploring options to use the land earmarked for the project.
The IBT project was proposed in 2019 by the AIADMK government on 61.81 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 168 and launched in January 2020. Separate bus stands were to be built for mofussil buses, omnibuses and town buses. The project was to be executed with 50% of state government funds and 50% of CCMC funds. The civic body completed around 40% of the work and spent over Rs 52.46 crore when it was suspended.
With the Vellalore IBT Revival Committee, which comprises, social activists and Vellalore residents, demanding the government to resume the project, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran visited the site recently and instructed the officials to remove vegetation and clean the place.
Speaking to TNIE, Prabakaran said, “The project was suspended a long time ago due to which the place has become untidy. The officials have been told to clean the place. We are also exploring other options for the place. As a few buildings have already been constructed here, we are checking the feasibility of putting them to public use. We are exploring what can be done and change the place for a better use. The IBT project will most probably not come here at Vellalore. So, we shall check the best available options, prepare a detailed report and send it to the Tamil Nadu government. The government will take the final call on how to transform this place.”