Kozhikode Corpn. approves revised DPR to modernise Mofussil bus stand

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

The DPR, prepared by architecture firm PC Rasheed and Associates, received approval at a recent council meeting. The project, which was first launched in 2020 upon the invitation of expressions of interest, was postponed due to administrative and financial obstacles.

In the Corporation Budget 2024-25, officials had proposed a project worth Rs 45 crore to build a new bus terminal and appointed an architect to prepare the master plan. However, after the new council took office, revisions and additions were made to the previous proposal. Although the revised plan again envisaged an expenditure of ₹45 crore, the cost was later reduced to ₹27 crore and eventually to the current plan of ₹18 crore.

Spread over an area of ​​approximately six acres in the heart of the city, the existing facility has a five-storey structure of approximately 1,72,250 square metres. More than 10,000 people use the facility every day, including travelers, traders and local workers. Despite heavy foot traffic, the terminal was widely criticized for lacking even basic amenities.

DPR aims to transform bus stops into a modern transit hub with a variety of new amenities for passengers and vehicles. It offers air-conditioned passenger waiting areas, multiple restrooms, a modern food court, service and retail shops, and a variety of service kiosks. The redeveloped complex will also feature elevators and escalators, as well as a dedicated terminal area for long-distance night services.

A 35-meter-tall clock tower has also been proposed as a landmark feature of the redeveloped complex, according to officials. The facility will include approximately 70 bus stops, 22 waiting areas, parking space for more than 170 vehicles and 1,000 square meters of parking space for two-wheelers. A dedicated autorickshaw compartment is also part of the design.

Passenger amenities will include paid toilets for men and women, a separate toilet for transgender people, a feeding room, modern fire safety systems, an electrical control room, a police control room and special help desks for women and children.

Ahead of major redevelopment works, the Company will also carry out emergency maintenance work on 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 septic system.