The Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) connecting Chhattisgarh’s new capital city Naya Raipur to old Raipur is expected to be ready for plying buses by the end of this year.The BRTS project has been awarded to the State Government under the centrally sponsored Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
The Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) has already commenced a survey to define various routes for plying the buses under the rapid transport system. The BRTS service will connect Raipur Railway Station to Naya Raipur and one pick up point for the passengers would be near the Old Secretariat at Ghadi Chowk. A total of nine BRTS bus shelters would be constructed in Raipur, official sources here informed.
The NRDA has deployed a number of survey teams to old Raipur for carrying out the survey. The survey is focussed on high density stops where maximum people wait for the buses in the city’s prominent squares in old Raipur.
The Raipur Railway Station is going to have the maximum number of commuters for Naya Raipur as many of the Mantralaya employees arrive from Raipur’s nearby districts in local trains to work.
The teams are also carrying out a survey on identifying other pick up points for passengers for Naya Raipur from Raipur city. The work for construction of bus shelters in Naya Raipur had in fact commenced on December 1 last year.
Under the project, ultra modern bus stops, shelters, pick up points, workshop for buses and a Control Room are being constructed in Naya Raipur. The project work in Naya Raipur comprises construction of a bus depot on five acres of land. The work for the entire project is expected to be completed by end of next year.
The project would follow strict environment protection norms such as waste water recycling in depots, solid waste management, mechanised cleaning of buses, besides other high-tech facilities for maintaining cleanliness at BRTS establishments. It may be mentioned here that the NRDA would launch a total of 50 fully air conditioned low-floor buses for the BRTS service between Naya Raipur and Raipur cities.
