Coimbatore Corporation to renovate bus stand

The Coimbatore Corporation is planning to renovate its bus stand opposite the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.

If the plans turn into a reality, the stand will help passengers wait inside for buses.

At present, they wait for buses at the exit near the main road (Tiruchi Road) under the sun or in rain while vagabonds use the stand as their home.

A couple of months ago, the Corporation demolished its old shopping complex in front of the stand, as it was weak and obstructed traffic flow.

The rear of the complex had been turned into a public toilet and a stand for some private vehicles that transported dead bodies brought out of the hospital.

Built at a cost of over Rs. 3 lakh more than 10 years ago, the bus stand became one of the most abused facilities put up by the Corporation.

Mayor R. Venkatachalam said on Thursday that a private organisation had offered to renovate the stand at Rs. 18 lakh.

Glazed tile flooring, a coat of paint, enough lights and chairs were measures planned to turn the stand into a good facility for the public.

The organisation had also offered to construct a pay-and-use toilet to prevent abuse of the stand.

The Mayor, Corporation officials and representatives of the private firm visited the stand on Thursday morning to make an on-the-spot assessment of the needs of the passengers.

"The firm has offered to construct and arch and put up a board displaying `Coimbatore Corporation Bus Stand.'

It has also offered to meet the cost of maintenance and pay power consumption charges," the Mayor said.

But, the firm wanted to keep the money collected at the toilet for its maintenance.

As for the rest of the stand, the firm intended to make gains through the display of advertisement.

Besides, it wanted seven to eight years of maintenance period instead of one, which the Corporation offered.

After going through an image of the bus stand that showed how it would look after the facelift, the Mayor told the firm that the proposal would be placed before the Corporation Council for its approval.

While this would take some time, the Mayor said immediate action would be taken to repair bus shelters along the hospital compound.

Finding some fibre roof sheets missing or broken, the Mayor asked the officials to take up repairs immediately.

"We found two coconut trees on the hospital premises leaning over the compound. Coconuts from the tree had fallen on the sheets and damaged them," he said.

The Mayor directed the officials to use zinc sheets on the shelters as they could withstand the impact.

"A toilet will be constructed closer to curve into Arts College Road. This will help prevent people from urinating on the footpath," the Mayor said.

The footpath would also be repaired. All these works were expected to be over before Pongal on January 15. The Corporation would request the Regional Transport Office to shift the bus stops away from the hospital gate. Halting of buses near the gate obstructed traffic on the road and blocked the entry of vehicles into the hospital.



Source: The Hindu