CM opens re-designed Periyar bus stand, tourist plaza; services begin

Madurai: The re-designed and newly-constructed Periyar bus stand in Madurai and the shopping complex attached to it were inaugurated by chief minister M K Stalin on Wednesday via videoconferencing from the secretariat in Chennai.
The Periyar bus stand and the shopping complex have been redeveloped at an estimated cost of Rs 174.56 crore of which the bus stand has been developed for Rs 55 crore and the shopping complex for Rs 119.56 crore.These two structures are spread over an area of 3.02 hectares. The Periyar bus stand has been constructed in an area of 3,104sqm and the shopping complex on 4,372sqm.
Of the work taken up as part of the Smart City programme, the Periyar bus stand and the first and second level underground parking lots have been completed. Shops on the first ground floor and the shopping complex are under construction.
The Periyar bus stand has a passenger waiting hall, police control room, traffic control room, room for lactating mothers, potable drinking water, modern toilets, ATM kiosks, and 40 bus bays. In addition, the shopping complex bus stand would have 17 bus bays. Together they will have 57 bus bays and 7,200 trips would be operated.
The roads around the bus stand and shopping complex are equipped with storm water drains. Pavements are physically challenged and elderly friendly and have a tactile floor and handrails. The parking lot at the first underground level can accommodate 371 cars, while 4,865 two-wheelers can be parked in the second level underground parking lot.
Minister for commercial taxes P Moorthy flagged off the first bus from the bus stand on Wednesday, in the presence of the Madurai district collector Dr S Aneesh Sekhar and Madurai Corporation commissioner Dr K P Karthikeyan.
The chief minister also inaugurated the Rs 2.75 crore tourist plaza, which will function as the arrival point for tourists, where they can avail all details required regarding tourism, bus and railway services, temple timings, heritage sites etc. A tourist arrival centre at Jansi Rani park with shops and food court at a cost of Rs 2.45 crore was also inaugurated.