After the bus fleet of the capital has been augmented, it’s now makeover time for major bus terminals. In keeping with the governments agenda of giving public transport a fillip, the three major bus hubs — Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) Kashmere Gate, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar — are soon going to be converted into multi-modal transit centres of international standards. Delhi government is in the final stages of creating an independent company for the purpose which will independently handle the upgradation and upkeep of the ISBTs. At present, ISBT Kashmere Gate, one of the busiest bus terminals in Asia, runs from a dilapidated building which lacks even basic facilities like clean toilets, drinking water, waiting lounges and eateries for passengers. The other two terminals are running from temporary sheds and are in an even more deplorable condition. The temporary sheds are soon going to give way to swanky buildings which stateof-the-art facilities for bus commuters. The new bus terminals will sport an international look and will have facilities like shopping areas and food courts where passengers can wait while their buses arrive. A three-star hotel will also come up at ISBT Kashmere Gate in the second phase of renovation. This commercial development will help generate revenue for the uplift and upkeep of the terminals. The buildings will all be state-of-the-art, which will be constructed as per international standards. The terminals will all be green buildings — all modes of energy conservation like heat proof design, proper lighting and ventilation are being incorporated in the design itself. The ultimate plan is to develop ISBTs as independent multi-modal transit centres, which will offer seamless connectivity across different modes like buses, Metro, railways, taxis and autos, and form major hubs for the public transportation system of the National Capital Region (NCR). The renovation work has finally kicked off with work orders having been issued for the first phase of restoration of ISBT Kashmere Gate this week. Last month, Delhi governments Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) had sanctioned Rs 74.16 crore for the purpose. Work on restoration of the facade, creation of facilities like toilets, waiting areas, food courts, parking lots, etc is going to be undertaken in the first phase, which will be completed before the Commonwealth Games. ‘‘We are making a separate company under Delhi government with the sole mandate of carrying out speedy upliftment of all the ISBTs. The company will be headed by a senior bureaucrat who will be empowered to take decisions and look into all aspects of upgradation of ISBTs,’’ said Arvinder Singh, transport minister. The independent company will decide the modes of investment for the renovation, whether PPP or BOT, and also look into revenue generation of the upkeep of the ISBTs. Sources said that the matter will soon be discussed in the Cabinet. The decision was reportedly taken after the initial plan to renovate ISBTs, conceived two years ago, ran into rough weather due to lack of funds. The government has revived a part of its work starting with ISBT at Kashmere Gate now. Transport department SPV Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) has already finalized plans for modernization of the three ISBTs.
KASHMERE GATE
Established : 1976
Total Cost : Rs 125 crore
Deadline : Sept 30,2010 (Phase I)
Multi-modal transit : The oldest and largest ISBT in India is located in the heart of the city. It is an important hub for interstate & local buses
Capacity : 384 cars, 78 buses (to be increased) and 847 two-wheelers
Building revamp in Phase I :Earthquake proofing
Upgradation of toilets
Food court
Escalators & elevators
3 level parking
Security : The premises will be secured by CCTVs
Commercial development : Retail space & a 3-star hotel
ANAND VIHAR
Established : 1993
Cost : Rs 200 crore
Deadline : July 2012
Area : The terminus will be developed on a 9.2 hectares. The main building will have a 500-metre facade visible from the main Ghazipur Road
Multi-modal transit : A brand new Metro station and railway station opened in the complex last year
Capacity : The complex is being designed to house 207 buses, 171 autos ,27 taxis , 438 two wheelers and 1,438 cars
SARAI KALE KHAN
Established in : 1996
Total Cost of renovation : Rs 200 crore
Completion of deadline : Aug 2012
Total Area : 10 hectares + 500m facade along the Outer Ring Road
Multi-modal transit : The busy bus terminus is located near the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station and a new Metro line is coming up in the vicinity. After renovation, it will be an important transit point for residents of south & east Delhi, along with those from Noida and Faridabad
COMMON FEATURES (ANAND VIHAR & SARAI KALE KHAN)
Green Building : The bus terminals will be green buildings, and have been designed to conserve light & reduce generation of heat. They will be fitted with energy-saving fixtures, rainwater harvesting facilities and effective waste disposal systems
Security : The complexes are being secured with CCTVs and BMS
Facilities : While waiting for your bus, you can eat at a restaurant, cafe or food court, or shop at the arcade that is proposed to be built inside the complex. There is also a provision to build a hotel. These avenues of commercial development will allow the terminals to generate their own revenue
Aesthetics: A well-planned network of footoverbridges, escalators and elevators will allow easy & safe movement of pedestrians between the terminals, Metro & railway stations. The new designs are disabled-friendly. There will be separate entry/exits for buses, autos & taxis in order to avoid a clash between the different modes of transport. The open spaces will be landscaped
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