Tiruvannamalai’s new integrated bus stand to be built under DBFOT mode

Presently, the Tiruvannamalai bus stand is choking with just 50 bays to cater to 620 buses, which operate 1,913 trips on a daily basis. The vehicle density here has marked a 12% rise over 2013 when there were only 530 buses operating 1,780 trips.

The proposed bus stand will have all modern facilities and a total of 150 bays, sources revealed. When the idea for a new bus stand was mooted a couple of years ago, officials opined that the municipality should make use of the land available with it to avoid cost overruns and suggested four locations — the 6.50-acre Eesanya maidan, 26.36-acre plot in Kanathampoondi, 13.39 acres in Thurinjapuram and 14.50 acres on the market committee premises on theTindivanam road.

A public hearing was conducted in August last to decide on the venue when it was suggested that the land at Eesanya maidan, would be suitable for the purpose. It was pointed out that in other areas there were proposals to construct link roads by acquiring additional land from private parties in order to decongest the town, while in one location a cattle fodder plant too is being planned.

However, as the town’s garbage dump yard abutted the Eesanya maidan, it was proposed to shift its location to Narthampoondi village near Naidumangalam on the Vellore road, where the government had purchased land earlier.

Tiruvannamalai Collector KS Kandasamy said tenders have been floated after filing of a DPR report, which put the cost estimate at Rs 30.15 crore. “We received responses from six Tamil Nadu-based contractors to take up the work. The work will be taken up under the DBFOT mode,” he added.

Asked about plans to shift the dump yard, the Collector said, “Construction work will start in phases”. “The phase one of the bus stand construction itself might take two years and hence it will not in any way impact the garbage yard shift,” he said.