HMDA shelves Miyapur ICBT project

After toiling for over two years to construct Asia's biggest inter-city bus terminal (ICBT) at Miyapur, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority has finally decided to shelve the project.

The HMDA took this decision after facing several issues from KKR Infra, the agency which had been finalised to take up the project. An official claimed that the agency did not submit the bank guarantee for `14.8 crore in the stipulated time. When the HMDA decided to float tenders again, the agency moved court.HMDA was to have built the `100-crore ICBT in two phases within four years. Two years after work first began, there has been no progress.

HMDA commissioner T. Chiranjeevulu said that since the authority cannot go ahead with the ICBT at Miyapur, it has decided to identify five sites to construct bus terminals on National Highways. The HMDA has already identified 108 acres in Manoharabad along the Nagpur highway, 20 acres in Pedda Amberpet and 60 acres in Shamshabad.

Mr Chiranjeevulu said the HMDA would acquire land through land pooling and float tenders for the project. He said that these bus terminals would be taken up in Public Private Partnership mode.

The terminals will have one lakh sq ft built up area for the passenger terminal, 200 bus bays and platforms for outstation buses, 30 for city buses, parking for 1,000 buses, two fuel filling stations including CNG, four vehicle service centres, office space for administrative purposes and for bus operators.