The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) on Wednesday announced plans to turn bus stations into entertainment hubs, which will also likely house multiplexes.
According to the State-run transport undertaking, 13 high tech bus stations will function as Integrated Transit Bus Station. As per this model, the station will not only be a hub of transport, but will also combine businesses, entertainment and other systems of transport.
The amenities at these stations, the TGSRTC stated, would remind one of airports. “This ambitious project, conceived through the cooperation of the Telangana government and the innovative vision of TGSRTC managing director Y.Nagi Reddy, has already received official approval from the government and the Transport Department”, the TGSRTC said.
The corporation stated that the access to railways will be available immediately as passengers disembark from buses. Within the complex will also be shopping complexes as well as business centres. Gaming zones. food courts and entertainment spaces will also be available.
The facilities will be available in bus stations at Nagarkurnool, Regonda, Huzurnagar, Kodad, Kodangal, Kosgi, Maddur, Kesamudram, Husnabad, Mulugu, Madhira, Nalgonda and Kothagudem.
This decision by the RTC will not only make transportation easier for passengers but also transform travel hubs across the State with modern amenities and a fresh, contemporary look. Construction work on these model bus stations is set to begin soon.
Interestingly, revitalising the TGSRTC and seeking to bring in revenue derived from methods other than ticketing has been on the cards for about a decade. In 2018, the then government set out to assess the feasibility of having multiplexes or theatres, and shopping malls on TGSRTC property. Much before that, in 2016, the transport juggernaut toyed with the idea of having mini-theatres at several bus depots on a build-operate-transfer basis.
