UPSRTC to develop over 20 Alambagh-like bus stations

The UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) is finally ready with the plan to develop more than 20 state-of-the-art bus terminals along with commercial facilities at different locations, including one in Gomtinagar on public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

The corporation early this week roped in Ernst and Young, a prominent consultant, to prepare bid documents for the proposed bus terminals. It is expected to float the request for proposals (RFPs), inviting the private companies to invest in the ambitious project.

“The corporation may invite the long-pending bids for the development of over 20 bus stations in various cities in October-November after the Ernst and Young is ready with its homework for the purpose,” UPSRTC sources said.

Two of the proposed bus terminals are in Lucknow, three in Agra, two in Allahabad and two in Meerut, two in Ghaziabad and one in Kanpur.

All these bus stations are proposed to be developed under the DBFOT (Design, Finance, Operate and Transfer) mode of investment. This model was applied to the construction of the swanky Alambagh bus terminal.

Under the DBFOT, private firms are provided free of cost land on a lease for a certain period, 33 years in this case.

People familiar with the matter said the Mayawati government had first floated the idea for the construction of around a dozen modern bus terminals on the PPP basis, but the corporation failed to get response from the private players. The Akhilesh Yadav government that followed gave the push becoming successful to award the Alambagh bus terminal to Shalimar Malls Pvt Ltd in April 2015.

The swanky bus station worth Rs 200 crore is spread over 26,500 square metres with various passenger and commercial facilities.

“Many of the over 20 proposed bus stations may be designed on the Alambagh pattern and we expect good response from investors this time,” sources said.