5 Bus Stands of the State will be Developed on the Lines of the Airport | 18 Mar 2023

Why in news?

• According to information received from the media on March 16, 2023, the Uttar Pradesh government will develop the state's bus stands on the lines of airports. For this purpose, the selection process for five bus stands under the PPP model has been facilitated by private developers in the first phase under the development plan of 23 bus stands.

Key Points

• The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has received an investment proposal of Rs 1000 crore to upgrade these five bus stands on the lines of airports.
• Through this investment, more than 2000 direct and lateral employment opportunities are likely to be generated at these five locations.
• The department has received several investment proposals through the bid process that ended in February, including those from investors who submitted proposals in UPGIS.
• Work will start on this after the approval of the Committee of Secretaries headed by the Chief Secretary and the Cabinet. It is estimated that by the end of this month, they will be issued a letter of permission (LOI).
• The five bus stands which have been selected to be developed on the lines of the airport by the developers are- Kaushambi Bus Station, Lucknow's Vibhuti Khand Bus Station, Prayagraj's Civil Lines Bus Station, Ghaziabad's Old Bus Station and Agra Fort Bus Station.
• For the modernization of these bus stations, the bids of many other builders including Omaxe and SPG builders have been included. According to the investment proposals received through them, Rs 245 crore will be invested in Kaushambi bus station, 307 crores in Vibhuti Khand of Lucknow, 276 crores in Civil Lines of Prayagraj, 114 crores in Old Ghaziabad Bus Station and Rs 22 crore in Agra Fort bus station.
• The bus station in the state will no longer be addressed as Bus Adda. Now it will be addressed as Bus Port just like the airport. Transport Corporation has also started using this word in its departmental functioning.
• It will also have arrangements for public announcement, while facilities like a VIP lounge, cafeteria, food court, shopping malls, waiting area, escalator, and lift will also be developed in it.
• The developers will operate it in a multistorey building on 30 percent of the department's land. The remaining 70 percent will remain on bus traffic and parking spaces. The maintenance work of these bus ports will be with these developers only.
• Apart from the modernization of bus stations, the Transport Corporation has also received investment proposals in another category. This category belongs to IT.
• Roadways GM (IT) Yajuvendra Kumar told that among the companies which have shown interest in this category is Paytm which wants to launch an NCMC card. This card will be like a monthly metro card, so there will be no need to buy tickets again and again.