Salt Lake bus terminals in abject state

KOLKATA: Four decades of planned growth in Salt Lake has overlooked the need for a well-equipped space for public transport. The three original terminals at Karunamoyee, AJ and GD blocks have poor lighting and drainage, crumbling bays and are overflowing with garbage.
The largest and most visible bus terminal at Karunamoyee is in the worst condition.Located in the heart of the township, right next to the Dhaka — Kolkata international bus stand, state and private buses as well as contract carriages use the Karunamoyee stand.
There are no toilets, drinking water, canteens or rest rooms for either passengers or crew. Parking fees are Rs 6 per day for buses and Rs 1,000 per quarter for night parking, which is steep considering the absence of basic amenities.
As for the AJ and GD terminals, the boundary walls are falling apart. Municipal sources indicated that a proposal for a multi-storied terminal at Karunamoyee had been cleared by the Bidhannagar municipality at a recent meeting.
Ashim Guha, convenor of the transport committee of the municipality, said, “The new terminal at Karunamoyee will be built with loan assistance from Hudco and the AJ and GD terminals will be leased out to private firms for renovation and maintenance.�
Guha added that the state transport department would also be requested to “help rebuild the Karunamoyee terminal on the lines of long distance and city terminals planned for Kolkata and already in existence in other cities�.