Telangana to Rebuild 13 Bus Stations as Integrated Transit Hubs With Shops and Food Courts

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has announced plans to develop 13 of its bus stations into integrated transit hubs that combine transport with commercial, dining and entertainment facilities, and may also include multiplexes.

The stations covered are Nagarkurnool, Regonda, Huzurnagar, Kodad, Kodangal, Kosgi, Maddur, Kesamudram, Husnabad, Mulugu, Madhira, Nalgonda and Kothagudem.

Under the model described by the State-run corporation, an Integrated Transit Bus Station will function as more than a boarding and alighting point. The TGSRTC said passengers would be able to reach railway services immediately after stepping off a bus, and that the complexes would house shopping areas, business centres, gaming zones, food courts and entertainment spaces. The amenities, it said, would be comparable to those found at airports.

The corporation stated that the project has received official approval from the Telangana government and the Transport Department. It credited the plan to cooperation between the State government and the "innovative vision" of TGSRTC Managing Director Y. Nagi Reddy. Construction on the model stations is expected to begin soon, according to the announcement.

The move is part of a longer effort by the corporation to earn revenue from sources other than bus tickets. TGSRTC's finances have been under strain for years, with fare collections alone struggling to cover operating costs, and successive administrations have examined ways to put the corporation's land and buildings to commercial use.

In 2018, the then government commissioned a feasibility study on setting up multiplexes, theatres and shopping malls on TGSRTC property. Two years earlier, in 2016, the corporation explored placing mini-theatres at several bus depots on a build-operate-transfer basis. Those proposals did not proceed to implementation.

Integrated transit hubs that bring together different modes of transport with retail and commercial space are an established model in several Indian cities, where they are intended to increase footfall and generate non-fare income for the transport operator.

Several details of the current plan have not yet been made public. The TGSRTC's announcement does not specify the cost of the project, how it will be funded, the construction schedule, or whether private operators will run the commercial and entertainment facilities. It also does not state how revenue from these facilities will be shared, or whether the existing passenger amenities at these stations will be retained or altered.

The 13 stations are located in district headquarters and smaller towns, where bus services remain the main form of public transport for a large number of people. For daily commuters, the practical effect of the redevelopment will depend on whether basic facilities are protected even as commercial space is added.

Officials have not indicated whether the model will be extended to other bus stations in the State after the first phase. This newspaper will update the report as cost estimates, tenders and timelines become available.