Gujarat: Ahmedabad gets new Geetamandir bus terminal
Ahmedabad, Aug 12
Ahmedabad's Geetamandir bus terminal has added a new North Block, with the inauguration of an 'Iconic Busport' equipped with 39 boarding and alighting platforms and dedicated passenger facilities.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi inaugurated the Geetamandir Bus Terminal-2 (North Block) in Ahmedabad on Wednesday and flagged off newly built buses.
Minister of State for Transport Pravin Mali and Minister of State for Urban Development Darshana Vaghela were also present.
The terminal has been developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) and Hubtown Bus Terminal (Ahmedabad) Pvt Ltd.
The project is intended to provide modern facilities for passengers using the city's major bus terminal. The newly constructed terminal has a total built-up area of 4,309 square metres and includes 39 platforms for boarding, alighting and other bus movements.
There are three enquiry offices and ticketing counters spread over 218 square metres, along with a 39.38-square-metre Tourist Information Centre, a concessionaire office, a 45-square-metre cloakroom, a water room, a public addressing system and a 333.50-square-metre store room.
Passenger waiting facilities include a general waiting hall with seating for 100 people, a ladies' waiting hall with capacity for 75 and a deluxe waiting hall with 25 seats.
The boarding and alighting concourse also has 370 seats spread across 412 square metres. The terminal includes a canteen with seating for 130 people and a 71.57-square-metre parcel room. A 3,000-square-metre BTF parking area has also been provided.
Separate toilet and bathroom facilities have been constructed for men and women. The women's facilities comprise 29 toilets and seven bathrooms, while the men's section has 21 toilets, five bathrooms and 33 urinals.
Three special toilets, including bathrooms, have been provided for passengers with disabilities. A 255-square-metre rest room and dormitory has also been provided on the third floor for GSRTC drivers and conductors.
The inauguration was attended by city MLAs Amit Shah, Amit Thakor, Kaushik Jain, Amul Bhatt, Jitendra Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Dinesh Kushwaha, besides officials concerned.
The inauguration adds another facility to Geetamandir, which is an established hub for bus services connecting Ahmedabad with destinations across Gujarat and other states.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good infrastructure development, but will the ticket prices go up to recover the PPP investment? Usually these modern terminals pass on costs to passengers. Hope GSRTC keeps fares reasonable for the common man.
Very impressed with the attention to accessibility - special toilets for disabled passengers and 370 seats in the concourse. This is how public infrastructure should be built. Also appreciate the rest area for drivers; they deserve better working conditions after those long routes. 👏
PPP model is working well for Gujarat's infrastructure. But I wish they'd also focus on last-mile connectivity - how will passengers reach the terminal from other parts of the city? BRTS and metro connectivity needs to be improved alongside these big projects.
As someone who travels from Geetamandir to Rajkot every month, this is welcome news! The old terminal was so crowded. A 4,300 sq m facility with modern amenities - big upgrade. Just hope they also improve the food options at the canteen. 😄
As someone who frequently travels between Ahmedabad and Mumbai for work, this is a significant improvement. The dedicated parcel room and cloakroom are practical additions that many Indian bus terminals overlook. Impressive infrastructure push by the state government.
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