No takers for ISBT, Walada projects

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) plans of shifting the Wadala Truck Terminus and the ISBT, earlier planned at Wadala, outside the city to commercially exploit the land seem to have got a major fillip.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) plans of shifting the Wadala Truck Terminus and the ISBT, earlier planned at Wadala, outside the city to commercially exploit the land seem to have got a major fillip.

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The Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) project of the MMRDA has failed to get any bids from interested parties.

Friday was the last day for the submission of bid documents for the bus terminus project.

However, none of the bidders turned up.

The MMRDA is seriously considering moving the Wadala Truck Terminus and the Rs 350-crore Inter-State Bus Terminus Project outside the city which would help it to commercially exploit the 115 hectares of plot in Wadala.

The MMRDA had planned the ISBT as a parking spot for the thousands of trucks and buses parked in Mumbai in areas such as Masjid Bundar, Wadi Bundar and Karnack Bundar.

This results in huge traffic congestions at many parts of the island city.

The MMRDA had planned to set up a truck as well as Inter-State Bus Terminus on a 4.5 hectare plot at Wadala to be developed by a private developer on a public-private-partnership model.

The MMRDA had extended the deadline of the bid hoping that it will get bids.

It got a phenomenal price by selling its Wadala plot for Rs 4,050 crore.

MMRDA officials since then have been contemplating shifting ISBT and Truck Terminus outside the city and to commercially exploit the plot at Wadala.

The MMRDA earlier wanted the winning bidder to develop the ISBT on par with international standards, including world-class passenger platforms, food courts, cinema halls, departmental stores, budget hotels, convenience rooms, rest rooms and recreation centres.