Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena inspected the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Kashmere Gate here on Saturday and directed the concerned officials to carry out a complete makeover of the facility.
He took stock of the passenger amenities as well as the operation of local and inter-state buses from the terminal.
The LG, who has been regularly reviewing the traffic situation in the national capital for the past month, was confronted with the issue of massive congestion outside the ISBT due to the unduly high turnaround time of inter-state buses inside the terminal.
He was informed that the minimum turnaround time for an inter-state bus is currently 45-60 minutes, causing buses to spill over onto the adjoining roads outside the ISBT, which in turn leads to traffic snarls.
In response, Saxena directed the Transport Commissioner and DTC to reduce the turnaround time for inter-state buses to 30 minutes, which would increase the circulation of buses by over 50 per cent.
At present, the ISBT at Kashmere Gate, with a turnaround period of 45 minutes, caters to over 2,600 buses from its 60 bays, including nearly 1,300 inter-state buses, 1,200 DTC and Cluster buses, and about hundred All India Tourist Permit buses.
With the turnaround period reduced to 30 minutes, ISBT at Kashmere Gate will be able to handle over 1,900 inter-state buses daily, up from the existing 1,300.
Upon witnessing the poor upkeep, maintenance, sanitation, and encroachment of passenger pathways by unauthorised vendors, the LG expressed dissatisfaction and directed the concerned officials to carry out a complete makeover of the terminal.
He called for a thorough sprucing-up exercise, including the repair of the false ceiling, broken tiles, the greening of unutilised spaces, and the removal of stains and litter, to be completed within 15 days.
The MCD and Delhi Police were directed to prevent illegal squatting and ensure the clearing of passenger and bus pathways.
He later conducted a walking inspection of the Rani Jhansi Road, covering the stretch from Azad Market to the Pusa Road intersection, passing through the Faiz Road intersection and Idgah.