Construction of a new bus terminus is expected to commence from
January after getting preliminary clearances. It is expected to be
completed by December 2021.

The Vellore City
Municipal Corporation (VCMC) will undertake the construction under
Smart City programme envisaged be the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs at a total estimated cost of ₹45.61 crore in the existing land
of 9.25 acres.

Announcing the details, V. Srinivasan, Assistant
Executive Engineer, VCMC, said that a consultation meeting was held on
December 6, 2018 and based on the inputs received at the meeting, a
detailed project report was prepared.

Modern facilities

A two-tier bus terminus was initially proposed, but after soil tests
were conducted by experts, it was decided to construct a single tier bus
terminus with all modern facilities.

“84
bays including 11 idle bays and eight bays for local bus services will
be provided and a car parking facility near the bus terminus will also
come up,” said Mr. Srinivasan.

He added that a reverse osmosis
water plant, toilet block, feeding rooms for mothers, two-wheeler
parking space and 60 commercial shops on the ground floor and first
floor are other features of the new facility.

Stakeholders meeting

A
meeting was held on Saturday to hear the views of stakeholders. Auto
rickshaw drivers, bus owners association representatives and political
party representatives aired their views on improving the existing bus
stand.

P. Sasank Bhushan from Vellore Institute of Technology suggested that sign boards and zebra crossing were needed.

AIADMK
party functionary Moorthy suggested that encroachments on Green Circle
intersection be checked and that buses be routed through a service road
to reach Katpadi and beyond.

District Collector A. Shanmuga
Sundaram told officials to ensure garbage is not thrown into the Palar
river. He added that he has been receiving numerous complaints on this
count and asked the Corporation Commissioner K. Krishnamoorthy to look
into the issue.

Vellore MLA P. Karthikeyan said that to decongest
Vellore city, buses to Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tambaram may be
operated from Rangapuram.

Arcot MLA J.L. Eswarappan wanted
government schemes discussed with the elected representatives before
getting sanctioned so that there is awareness among them.

Operate from four places

At
the end of the meeting, it was proposed that buses be operated from
four places in Vellore during the construction of the new bus stand.

Buses
bound for Tiruvannamalai, Arni and Polur would be operated from Anna
Kalai Arangam on Anna Salai; buses to Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur,
Dharmapuri, Hosur, Salem and Bengaluru from Manga Mandi; buses to
Katpadi and beyond from Chittoor bus stand; and buses to Chennai,
Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Tambaram from old bus stand.