“Thousands of people come to me and travel to their destinations day in and day out. For so many years I am helping the rural folks come to city and vice a versa. May it be Monsoons or Summers for me it does not really matter. I am always there to serve each and everyone.”
When I was constructed years back I was the main landmark people used to assign to. But now things have changed, with time passing by my importance to some extent has been ablated. Blame it on my owners or people running the show.
Do you know by now who I am? I am CBT, Central Bus stand Belagavi.
Many plans were made for my revival but nothing concrete has happened with me. Very lately on this very site I had read that NWKRTC had planned to revamp me completely and tenders were floated in 2009 but Nobody came forward bid for my development on BOT basis. Even as recently as 2015 I had read that I will be getting a revamp but nothing has changed, I feel so disgusted.
The plan was to develop a shopping complex within my premises and build a new terminal building. The shops in the building would be let out for 30 years, and I guess this was the reason why no one came forward for my development, as all thought that a 30 year period is not enough to get the return on investment.
A new BOT plan is being developed let us see if there are any takers for this at least or no.
Today I am with the same space and area and handling more passengers and buses than I can handle which is causing a lot of jams within my area itself. Belagavi has grown many a folds but I have not grown, I am still the same built years ago.
Buses coming in and going out is such a great exercise that it takes more than 20 minutes for buses to just leave from the platform as the space is not enough for buses to turn and wait.
Many of my cousins in Hubbali and Dharwad who were shifted to newer locations were not received properly by the citizens, hence even my shifting was dropped.
Some other plans were also made earlier to shift me to a new bigger location on the outskirts but that too never happened. Not much care is being taken currently as my owners say I would have to go one day, I am so helpless when I see women and children alighting from the bus in the rains and they have no shed as well. The road within is also full of pot holes which causes a lot of hardships.
About 1500+ two wheelers are parked everyday and even this space is now not sufficient for parking and commuters there as well are not happy with me.
As of today only a few new boards have been put at many places but by doing just this I wont be happy. The newly built alighting platforms are in some way a positive sign for me but still I am the face of the city and I am in direful state.
What can I do?
With time and addition in population I need to grow but that has not happened. The government should look at me and take steps to improve my status so that more and more people travel safely to their destinations and also the state gets the money.
Till something is done to improve me I am helpless, kindly bear with me.”
– Central Bus Stand, Belagavi
I never ready so long article, but this was so interesting as though a living person was narrating his life story that made me to ready the full article, i really appreciate the writer for this. gud work guys and specially the writer who gave life to it
Dear Uday
A nice article on the CBT, I shifted to Mumbai in 1986, & it seems the Bus Stand is the same old place which was way back in 1986, since my childhood I have been seeing the Bus Stand being the same. Its time improvement has to be done.
Thanks for the great article
Just go check out the ksrtc bus stand in shimoga, mysore jus a few examples. the floor is so clean one can see their face in it. The floor is granite and super clean. Its all about who can influence who. The mlas, mps mlcs are all garbage people of belgaum.
I really appreciate this article.HOPE atleast in near future our bus stand will be renovated.lov u BELGAUM
Where are our MLA’s, MLC’s and MP’s. Local politicians of other cities work (may be only little, but atleast they work) for the betterment of their city. But our city politicians only work for the betterment of themselves.
No way, in other cities too they are the same or still worse..
Is Anyone Hearing this sigh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HUh!!! , Will the Authority wake up now atleast for BGM People sake !
frm my birth to nw i've visited a lot many times to cbt… but had never thot bout this all…. well going uday… this site rely rocks…
very nicely written aptly summarizes the situation of CBT;
both depots and workshops should be shifted and the present bus stand extended-services have increased and surely the people need better facilities at the bus stand;while multiple stands have been built in mysore,b’lore and elsewhere there are no takers for one good central bus stand for our second capital!
Dear Uday,
Impressed with your above presentation for BGM Bus Stand renovation work. NWKRTC, Govt. Officials need to take swift action for development of all Bus Stands of BGM. If none is ready to come forward then why not govt. take this job and start the work in interest of BGM developlemt and some good suggestions also made above this can be considered.
Why cant the Belgaum Next take up this issue and address it with the experts Rajeev Take this up as an issue… as well as a good point by Mr Kumar about the workshop to be shifted
Nice article UDAY
Plz. do not shift the both bus stands.
I would like to make some suggestions in this regard
They can increase the size of the Central bus stand by shifting the workshop ( which is adjacent to Bhaji market rd. as well as the one which is behind the city bus stand ) to somewhere else
I heard that the KSRTC has land in Ashok Nagar near the NH4. If so, that can be used as workshop
As with the City bus stand, by removing that old shelter type bus stand and the Office. They can build a huge building which contains both the Bus stand and the off.
(Now-days they are building huge multi story bus stands here in Bangalore)
I hope by doing this we can utilize the maximum space available within the marked area
Beautiful autobiography of CBT, Uday this article is really a heart touching story.
I suggest you to please share this to media, I am sure some thing will happen in this regard, it might either be by CCB, BUDA, KSRTC or State Govt.
Nice one…. The Belgaum central bus stand needs to be improved. Shifting the bus stand is not a good idea. There is enough space in belgaum bus stand itself. If at all they want to shift, shift the BUS DEPOT… Which is eating lot of space……
The bus stand should no doubt be improved to double its present capacity, the govt should not make the mistake of shifting the bus-stand. Else it will meet the same end as done by Hubli and Dharwad stations. CBT has sufficient space inside. All that is needed is proper planning.
heart touching story but it has True story too
i really mean it.very poor infrastructure in belgaum city bus stand but i heard that GOVT. is reserved 30 Cr for renovation of bus stand.is it true.
Nice article. The key to infrastructre development is start with good basic public transport and its organization.
I believe lot of space is wasted in circuit house near the central bus stand. All the government offices and rest houses here should move to a different location and give for the extension of the bus stand.
YES……… as the CBT comes in the Cantonment area.. the development issue cant be taken soon.. . there are many formalities then ordinary.. place if it was city corp or BUDA it would have be done… but Many things has to be changed.. God knows when it Happens.. and Nice title…