State govt approves three bus terminals for Gurugram

GMDA CEO wrote to the additional chief secretary of town and country planning, seeking plots to develop bus terminals, citing the acute need for such infrastructure near the Millennium City Metro Station, at Rajiv Chowk and the Old Bus Stands, which is in a poor condition.

The Haryana government on Wednesday approved Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority’s (GMDA) plan to develop three bus terminals, with a commercial component, at Sector 29, Rajiv Chowk and Old Bus Stand, officials aware of the matter said.

Official said terminals will be set up on a three-acre plot in Sector 29, a five-acre area at Rajiv Chowk and 12 acres of the Old Bus Stand.

Officials said GMDA CEO Shyamal Mishra wrote to the additional chief secretary of town and country planning, seeking plots to develop bus terminals, citing the acute need for such infrastructure near the Millennium City Metro Station, at Rajiv Chowk and the Old Bus Stands, which is in a poor condition.

A senior GMDA official, not wishing to be named, said: “During the meeting, it was decided that the transport department will provide these plots of land to GMDA. The ownership will remain vested with the transport department. The income from the commercial component built in theses bus stand premises will be shared equally with the transport department.”

The GMDA official said terminals will be set up on a three-acre plot in Sector 29, a five-acre area at Rajiv Chowk and 12 acres of the Old Bus Stand. These will also have commercial components, such as retail spaces.

Following approvals from the additional chief secretary, town and country planning, AK Singh, in a meeting on Wednesday, the authority will first prepare a concept plan for a terminal in Sector 29 terminal. The earnings will be shared equally by the GMDA and the state transport department, as per the decision taken by the higher authorities.

The meeting was attended by state transport commissioner TL Satyaprakash, GMDA chief engineer Arun Kumar Dhankhar and chief general manager (mobility division) RD Singhal, among others.

Authorities said the state agriculture department transferred five acres to the transport department for a bus stand at Rajiv Chowk in 2007, and HSVP transferred three acres in Sector 29 in 2002. Likewise, the transport department authorised GMDA to develop a bus stand in Sector 36A, near Sadar Bazar, which is currently referred to as the Old Bus Stand.

“The authority will develop a smart bus terminal at the Old Bus Stand and commercial facilities for the comfort of passengers and commuters,” the official said.

The GMDA presently operates 200 buses in the city, and the number is expected to increase to 400 by December, with plans to increase the fleet to 900 buses by 2027.