HUBBALLI: The city’s old bus stand — a major landmark located in the heart of the city — will soon become a thing of the past. The bus terminal, which was constructed in 1964, will be demolished soon for the development and up-gradation of the bus terminal under Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Project at the cost of Rs 36 crore.
The project will be kicked off within a week after the final formalities are completed. In 1962, land of about 4 acres 3 guntas near Kittur Rani Channamma circle was handed over to the transport authorities by the district administration.
The transport authorities constructed a building for the bus stand with an enquiry room, refreshment room and other basic amenities on 2,862 square meters of land and rest of the land was kept vacant for the movement of the buses. The bus stand was inaugurated by the Devaraj Urs in 1964, said H Ramangoudar, DC NWKRTC, Hubballi division.
Shivanand Naregal, special officer for HubballiDharwad Smart City Limited, said the HDSCL has finished all formalities to demolish the old structure at the bus terminal and construct new and latest upgraded building at the same place.
“The new structure was designed keeping in mind all the requirements,” he said.
According to sources, the new two-storey building will house staff rooms, staff toilets, dormitory, first-aid room, BRTS platform and driveway and city bus platform, while the upper floor will have sub-urban bus bays, waiting rooms for passengers and entrance lobby
Before a permanent bus stand was set up in the city in 1964, the transport buses were parked near Janata Bazar.
As the Janata Bazar was the most crowded market after Durgad Bail, the authorities decided to shift the bus stand to a permanent set up close to the KC circle. The Hubballi bus stand was the biggest bus stand in the region at that time, recalled former mayor Pandurang Patil.
“The authorities must make alternative arrangements for the buses to stop. At the exit gate, there is a bottleneck situation,” he added.