The Public Works Department has awarded the tender for Kochi’s new KSRTC terminal at Karikkamuri to Sidco, a state government agency, clearing the way for preliminary work on the long-delayed project. Construction is scheduled to begin after the agreement is signed and is expected to be completed within 18 months.
The new Kochi KSRTC terminal will be built on 2.9 acres at Karikkamuri at an estimated cost of Rs 9 crore. Preliminary works are expected to begin within a month, while the PWD and Sidco are expected to complete the formal agreement in the coming days.
A PWD official said the government had cleared the technical bid, but the final clearance for the financial bid was still pending. The revised estimate must receive the government’s final approval before the agreement with the contractor can be signed.
The project has already undergone a substantial reduction in scope because of funding constraints. Its earlier estimated cost was Rs 27 crore, but the government directed KSRTC to reduce the project cost. The original plan for a two-storey structure was abandoned, and the number of bus bays was reduced from 33 to 22.
The government granted administrative sanction for the project in February, but it took almost six months to obtain technical sanction. The latest tender award is therefore a key administrative step, although construction cannot proceed fully until the revised estimate and financial clearance are completed.
The existing KSRTC bus station near Karikkamuri has been facing problems related to its dilapidated condition, inadequate washrooms, insufficient resting facilities and unhygienic premises. KSRTC completed renovation work at the station in March, but passenger difficulties continued, according to the report.
The proposed terminal is planned as a larger transport facility with access for both KSRTC and private buses. Its stated facilities include parking areas, offices, public toilets and air-conditioned passenger waiting areas. The bus bays will use a steel fabrication method, and the terminal will also have an independent administrative block.
MLA T J Vinod said the terminal would be developed as a major transportation hub in central Kerala. The project’s final scale, however, will be determined by the revised estimate and the reduced 22-bay layout. The immediate next steps are the government’s final financial approval, signing of the agreement and commencement of preliminary works.
