Kozhikode Corpn. approves revised DPR to modernise Mofussil bus stand

After several years of delays and repeated Budget announcements, the long-pending plan to modernise the Kozhikode Mofussil bus stand has taken a step forward, with the Corporation council approving a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) estimated at ₹18 crore.

The DPR, prepared by architectural firm PC Rasheed and Associates, received approval at a recent council meeting. The project, which was first initiated in 2020 through the invitation of expressions of interest, had remained stalled due to administrative and financial hurdles.

In the Corporation Budget for 2024-25, authorities had proposed a ₹45-crore project to construct a new bus terminal and had appointed an architect to prepare the master plan. However, after a new council assumed office, revisions and additions were made to the earlier proposal. Though the revised plan again projected a ₹45-crore outlay, the cost was later reduced to ₹27 crore and eventually to the current ₹18-crore plan.

The existing facility, spread across nearly six acres in the heart of the city, has a five-storey structure covering around 1,72,250 square feet. More than 10,000 people, including passengers, traders and local labourers, use the facility every day. Despite the heavy footfall, the terminal has been widely criticised for lacking even basic amenities.

The DPR aims to convert the bus stand into a modern transit hub with several new facilities for passengers and vehicles. It proposes air-conditioned passenger waiting areas, multiple restrooms, a modern food court, utility and retail shops, and various service kiosks. The redeveloped complex will also have lifts and escalators, along with a dedicated terminal area for long-distance night services.

According to officials, a 35-metre-tall clock tower has also been proposed as a landmark feature of the redeveloped complex. The facility will include nearly 70 bus bays, 22 waiting tracks, parking space for over 170 cars, and a 1,000-sq-metre parking area for two-wheelers. A dedicated auto-rickshaw bay is also part of the design.

Passenger amenities will include pay-and-use toilets for men and women, a separate restroom for transgender persons, a feeding room, modern fire-safety systems, an electrical control room, a police control room, and dedicated helpdesks for women and children.

Ahead of the major redevelopment, the Corporation will also undertake urgent maintenance works at the existing bus stand. Members of the Standing Committee on Public Works said the proposed works, estimated at ₹25 lakh under the 2025-26 annual plan, will focus on repairing leaks, improving basic infrastructure, renovating toilets, and installing water tanks and a septic system.