[Mpower]

It was a pleasure to come across the piece of news that talks about a new bus terminal in Gujarat. Enjoy the photologue













http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/30607938.cms

http://deshgujarat.com/2014/02/12/th...on-14th-by-cm/

http://www.rediff.com/business/slide...20140218.htm#5

[phamilyman]

It looks good, yes (just as many in the developed world) -what gets me worried is who is paying for it. The tax payer or the actual consumer?

IMNSHO, for India, we can do with bare-bones yet comfortable terminals that are clean / efficient and passenger friendly.

[D4D]

Well that's a pleasant surprise. It looks really good from inside and outside. The only thing that worries me is how well it is going to be maintained. Unlike airports, the aam junta is going to use it and I can expect dirty walls and even dirtier toilets within a few months. I think we can do with simple bus stands for another couple of years as @phamilyman said.

[Gannu_1]

Ah clean white walls and corners! Brace for these a few months down the line:









Unless the govt. imposes a complete ban on the chewing of paan and gutkha.

Also reminds me of an incident during my graduation days - some of us were going from Coimbatore to Ernakulam on a weekend and we boarded a KSRTC Volvo Garuda from Palakkad KSRTC bus stand that goes to Trivandrum (3:30 PM IIRC; I am not sure if this one is still plying). There were a few girls as well and one of them had her menstruation in the middle of the journey. The bus had reached Aluva bus stand. She was to get down at Ernakulam. Unfortunate but there was not a single restroom she could use at the Aluva bus stand and her friends began to panic. Some of us guys got down, took a couple of rickshaws and helped her to a room in a hotel nearby. We called her parents who drove down to Aluva (25 km) and received her. The need of the hour is clean hygienic rest rooms. We do not need luxury waiting lounges with free wi-fi or La-Z-Boy recliners with massagers right now - those can always come later if the basic needs are taken care of.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by D4D

Well that's a pleasant surprise. It looks really good from inside and outside. The only thing that worries me is how well it is going to be maintained. Unlike airports, the aam junta is going to use it and I can expect dirty walls and even dirtier toilets within a few months. I think we can do with simple bus stands for another couple of years as @phamilyman said.

Please take a look at the Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus, Koyambedu to have a feel of how things would look like, after a few years of commissioning such a posh bus bus-stand.

[audioholic]

But with such a posh looking bus stand, I think people will and must feel guilty and shy away from littering the place. A dirty wall will make people go and relieve themselves, but if the same wall is decorated beautifully, I am unsure which soul will even have the bravery to go and relieve himself. On that logic I hope such beautiful creations are kept clean for a long time

[HammerHead]

Not sure if you guys heard about the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT).
It was huge, beautifully constructed with all facilities one needed.

I had visited it way back in 2002 (IIRC) when it was opened.

Someone from Chennai could comment on the current state.

I feel that the design of such buildings should be easy on maintenance.

[Sinner666]

I had the good fortune of visiting the city last week and was quite impressed with the structure.

Quite a departure from what we expect of bus stations in India, but alas, the utterly useless and unhelpful staff bring you back to reality. Nobody seemed willing enough to answer your questions, even at the enquiry desk.

[amit]

Government can only do so much, citizens have to do their part as well & we really have the easy part to handle. All that's required of us is to handle the services & facilities we get with a sense of ownership & responsibility. Problem with Indian's is we believe our job gets over the day we have inked our finger. For everything else there is Modi.

[wanderernomad]

There is news of a luxury bus service being started from Vadodra to Mumbai. It seems to be the origin for the same. Yes the question remains the maintenance as many rupees are spent out of taxpayers pocket to build infrastructure that starts to reek and crumble after the defect liability period expires.

[msdivy]

All the airports charge fee for maintenance, which is added to the flight fare. Can the bus terminals do the same?

[Mr.Boss]

There is a group of people here already, who don't welcome this with a whole-heart. Add me to that group.

How is it going to help the fellow public? How long are we spending / wiling to spend in bus terminals (exclude those few occasions were we are supposed to)
Rather investing on increased bus frequency / safe & comfortable journey is a welcome move.

[vroomsome]

I can vouch for how good this bus depot is. There are security checks that make people throw away their gutkhas, bidis, cigarettes and pan masalas. Folks not complying are refused entry. Also this is more than just a pretty building. There are rows and rows of sseating and shelter while the passengers await their buses on clearly marked terminals. This is a brilliant effort by the Gujarat govt. and such steps towards progress need to be applauded.

Take a look at gsrtc.in, it's a portal for the state Road transport where one can book tickets online. There are WiFi enabled AC Volvo buses that commute between Ahmedabad and major cities of Gujarat. Ladies traveling alone are given seats upfront and for all the talk of wasting taxpayers money, all these steps combined have resulted in less chaotic, more streamlined operations where women are not gawked at and walls aren't stained red.

[maddy42]

I dont agree with folks saying stop wasting tax payers money and do this or that.

A bus terminal is a place where folks have to spend hours waiting. Little added comfort and ambience goes a long way making a journey less cumbersome.

When building anything, think 20-30years down the line and build. Those buildings which think for the future can last longer than buildings which do not. Structures like the churchgate station is an example. These last, unlike those silly square structures.

Maddy

[rki2007]

How much will the Government also do!!!. We the Citizens of this country have to take initiative to maintain hygiene and keep our city clean.

I still remember, a small story told to us by our College Professor.

"Once a Japanese lady was traveling in a train, she noticed that the seat fabric/leather was torn.

Immediately she picked up a needle and thread, started stitching the torn seat."

If it was India, what we would have done? First examine how deep is the cut, insert fingers first, then hand and try to contribute as much as possible and make the small cut into a mega cut.

I strongly believe, we people have to change our self. I am happy that the literacy rate is high today as compared to the past and many have the common sense today which wasn't common in the past.

I feel pity for those ignorant souls who damage the public property when there is chaos or riot and a voice within me shouts " Man this is public property, its your property, it is purchased out of the tax that you paid, the upkeep of this will be made from the tax that you pay, then why the hell are you damaging your own property!!!!

Hopefully sooner or later my country will also be equal to those developed American and European Nations in terms of cleanliness and infrastructure.

Modiji is advocating "Swatch Bharath". Let us see whether things improve!!!

Sorry i went out of the topic. Forgive me for that.

Coming back to the topic, I feel such infrastructural facilities shows the growth of a Country. So it is good to have such bus terminals . I should actually say that it is one of the brilliant effort made by the Gujarat Govt. My 5 star rating for that.