Bengaluru: The 23 platforms in the Majestic bus station that were closed eight years ago to help the construction of Namma Metro’s interchange station, will start functioning from September 16.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation will restart its services from these terminals, which will have a revamped look and has also been remodeled from its previous avatar. A KSRTC source said the corporation has spent close to Rs 1.7 crore to renovate these platforms.
These platforms were part of the KSRTC’s main terminal building from where hundreds of buses were operational till August 2011. After their closure, KSRTC had shifted its operations to other bus terminuses such as Shantinagar and Mysore Road Satellite bus stations.
However, some of the services to Hassan, Tumakuru and North Karnataka continued from the two mini-terminals at Majestic bus station.
Earlier the KSRTC had planned to decongest Majestic terminals by shifting the operations to Peenya for bus services bound for northern Karnataka. However the passengers were reluctant to travel all the way to Peenya to catch a KSRTC bus, and they began availing private buses, which continued to operate from Majestic.
But now officials claim the KSRTC main terminal at Majestic is the best option to help boost revenue.
“BMRCL had returned the area to KSRTC a few months back and we have done renovation of all 23 platforms to give it a new look,” a senior KSRTC official told Deccan Chronicle.
The KSRTC had provided 20-odd acres to the BMRCL for construction of Metro, out which close to eight acres were used by the BMRCL to build a Metro station. The BMRCL returned the remaining land in phases.
The closure of KSRTC main terminal had also resulted in the loss of rental income as many commercial establishments had to close down operations.
It is said that the BMRCL has been paying a rent of Rs 5 crore for using KSRTC land.
