14 years on, still no takers for new bus terminal

HUBLI: Blame it on bad approach roads or the distance from the city centre, the Gokul Road bus terminal here is being underused, adding pressure on the old bus terminal and increasing congestion within the City.
Developed on 20 acres of land as opposed to the four acres the old terminal near KR Circle stands on, the Gokul Road terminal was constructed as early as in 1999 to easy traffic in the city centre.
However, struggling to implement the change, the new terminal, just 3-km away from the city centre, continues to be deserted while increasing congestion in the city.
The plan was to ferry passengers taking 'outstation' buses from here, but going by an employee of the new terminal, there seems to be few buses operating from there.
Everyday, thousands of people use the old terminal. But passengers also feel find it difficult to move around here as the buses are parked in an unscientific manner and also the traffic is slow moving.
Prasad Hulkoti, a commuter at old bus terminal, said that people get confused while boarding the buses, as there are so many of them parked unscientifically. "There is a huge crowd of buses," he said.
Mahadev Savadatti, another commuter who travels from Kittur to Hubli everyday, said that old bus terminal is near to his workplace and he doesn't travel by new bus terminal.
The old bus terminal is close to north and old Hubli, while the new bus terminal is located at the extension area.
ASR Namaji, divisional controller, North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) said that they have employed many plans in the last 14 years to attract people but nothing has worked.
The City Development Authority was to improve roads towards the terminal but it has not been done, which has become a setback for the corporation, he said.