The Bantwal TMC will soon lay foundation stone for construction a hi-tech bus shelter, at B C Road Circle. The bus shelter-cum-commercial complex will be built at a cost of Rs 2.80 crore.

The bus shelter constructed nine years ago at B C Road lacked facilities for passengers. Also, now it has become congested and will not be able to meet the needs of growing traffic. Many buses to destinations like Bangalore and Mysore pass through B C Road bus station.

Previous Deputy Commissioner V Ponnuraj had sanctioned 49 cents land for the bus shelter.  Later, the TMC acquired additional 60 cents land. Now, nearly an acre would be available for the new bus shelter.

For a long time, the TMC was using the land as a dumping yard. Following stiff opposition from public, the dumping yard was shifted. As there were a few trees on the land, the TMC had taken permission for felling them by paying Rs one lakh to the forest department. The land has been levelled to facilitate the work. The TMC had earmarked Rs 50 lakh for the construction of the bus shelter in its budget. The remaining amount will be raised by auctioning shops at commercial complexes at B C Road and Bantwal, TMC President B Dinesh Bhandary told Deccan Herald.

The term of the BJP in the TMC will end on February 22, 2013. Hence, an effort is being made to lay the foundation for the bus shelter work in November itself.

The bus shelter will come up on 8,900 square metre area. The basement and the ground floor can accommodate 14 each Volvo type buses. The bus shelter complex, which will have 24 shops, will be fenced. There will be separate entry and exit points. Seating arrangements, toilets, drinking water facility will also be included, said TMC Chief Officer R V Jathanna.

The new facility will also end traffic congestion at B C Road, he added.