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Two bus terminals of Prayagraj to get airport-like facelift
The development comes after the Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Friday approved the proposal to develop 23 bus stations of the state under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
PRAYAGRAJ: The bus terminals at Civil Lines and Zero Road in Prayagraj will soon get an airport-like facelift. As part of the makeover, the two depots will be equipped with facilities at par with any modern airport of the country, said Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) officials.
The development comes after the Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Friday approved the proposal to develop 23 bus stations of the state under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. These terminals will be developed on the DBFOT (“design, build, finance, operate and transfer”) model, added officials.
The bus terminals selected under the first phase of this proposal are based in 16 U.P. districts --Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Agra, Mathura, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Mirzapur, Lucknow, Raebareli, Bareilly, Meerut, Hapur, Aligarh, Ayodhya, and Gorakhpur.
“We had submitted a proposal for remodelling and upgrading the facilities of these two important bus depots of the district -- the Civil Lines and Zero Road bus depots. As the state cabinet has given its approval for the developing 23 bus terminals, including the two at Prayagraj, the residents of the Sangam city can look forward to getting airport-like facilities at these two bus terminals,” said MK Trivedi, regional manager, UPSRTC, Prayagraj. Besides, the two bus terminals at Mirzapur and Vindhyachal will also be developed with airport like facilities after the cabinet nod, added Trivedi.
The renovated bus terminals will have upgraded passenger amenities and security arrangements. They might also be turned into multi-storeyed facilities. The revamped bus stands will have a food court, shopping mall, theatre, air-conditioned and non-AC waiting halls for passengers, parcel room, cloak room, ATMs, post office, police booth and possibly even facilities for medical emergency services. In addition, a parking space, toilets, ample lighting, display boards, CCTVs and rest room for crew will also be ensured at all refurbished depots, the official said.
These model bus stations will also have a hotel-cum-restaurant for the passengers so that they don’t have to search for accommodation, especially when they arrive in the city late at night. The highlight of the building would be that it would be friendly for differently-abled persons, the officials added.
“The entire building would be equipped with solar panels so that most of the power consumption is realised from solar energy,” said Trivedi. About 70% of the area of the bus stand will be utilised for operational purposes while 30% for construction of buildings.
Moreover, the developer will maintain the bus station for 35 years at his/her own cost. The main commercial complex, however, might be maintained and operated by the developer for 90 years before being handed over back to UPSRTC. The developers can let out the commercial property on rent to earn money. In the second phase, the state government might take up development of another 35 bus terminals, said the officials.
The revamping of these two key bus depots of Sangam city would be taken up jointly by the authority of UPSRTC and the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA). After renovation, these two bus depots of the district would come handy in managing the huge turnout of passengers, especially during Mahakumbh 2025.
