Rs 46-cr smart city works commence at Vellore’s old, new bus stands

The Rs 46-crore works include levelling and “smartening up” the present new bus stand on the banks of the Palar river near the Selliamman temple. The old bus stand, which till now catered to only town buses, would thus see a sizeable increase in passenger traffic to handle.

Further, officials plan to spend Rs 17 lakh to renovate and improve the toilets and free urinals with the latter being connected to the drain to prevent spillage and stagnation on the parking apron, officials said. “Similarly, passenger waiting spots will have proper roofing to protect them from the elements,” they added.

A location in the new bus stand behind the Selliamman temple is now being paved as it is slated to be a temporary terminus for buses bound for Tirupattur, Bengaluru, Gudiyattam and Chennai. Already shops in the terminus were cleared as also a hotel, while encroachers would be removed once and for all, officials revealed.

Contrary to the seeming practice of shop owners resisting moves by the local body to provide improvements, this time there was no resistance to their being removed as all anticipate improvements to the bus stand and the town once the project is completed in two years, officials said.