New bus terminus at Panjapur will become operational from July 16, says Minister

The new bus terminus at Panjapur on the Tiruchi-Madurai Highway will become operational from July 16, according to Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru.

He told reporters here that all government buses will be operated from Panjapur from Wednesday. Steps have been taken to open the shops and restaurants at the terminus within a few days.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the terminus on May 9. However, the bus terminus is yet to be brought to public use. The delay in identifying a competent contractor for the operation and maintenance was cited as the main reason.

According to sources, the tender floated by the Tiruchi Corporation was opened last Monday. Three bids were found to be valid. Of them, Capital Studio & S.R. Infra, a joint venture company, has been selected. Though the details of the selection are yet to be made public, sources told The Hindu that the company would pay about ₹50 lakh a year to the Tiruchi Corporation. The company could generate income by letting out the shops and restaurants at the terminus. It could collect entry fees from buses. It has to take care of cleaning and sweeping the bus stand. The company would have to maintain the air conditioners, escalators, and other amenities.

The bus terminus was established at a cost of ₹492.55 crore on 40 acres of land. It has 401 bus bays comprising 141 for long-distance buses, 84 for short-distance buses, 120 for mofussil buses, and 56 for city buses. The facility can accommodate 216 four-wheelers, 1,935 two-wheelers, and 100 autorickshaws. Infrastructure such as cloakroom, ticket counter, guard room, wheelchairs for persons with disabilities, passenger waiting room, feeding room, fire safety system, restrooms for bus crew, security room, police control room, LED screens, and display boards, drinking water facilities, 12 lifts and escalators, 78 shops and toilets have been set up.