According to the City Corporation administration, the work for the Vellalore integrated bus stand, which was started with much fanfare at an estimated cost of Rs 168 crore without proper planning has been abandoned and plans are afoot to use the site for other utilities.
Coimbatore: In January 2020, it was announced that an integrated bus stand would be constructed near Vellalore garbage depot at an estimated cost of Rs 168 crore with 50 per cent government subsidy and 50 per cent of corporation funds.
Former minister SP Velumani inaugurated the works by performing the Bhoomi Pooja for the project.
In this scenario there were allegations that the construction of a bus stand near the garbage dump would lead to deterioration of the health and the project site was considered not conducive to traffic movement.
Subsequently, the construction work of the bus stand was stopped after a reinspection by the corporation officials some time back.
In the meanwhile, Race Course Raghunath, a resident of the city, lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau alleging that there were
irregularities committed in the project implementation.
Alleging that several acres of land had been purchased at a low price on the pretext that the bus stand he said in his complaint that bus stand space could be used for other purposes and a petition was sent by him to the Chief minister's special cell to this effect.
Following this, a formal letter has been sent to the Government that works for the integrated bus stand has been abandoned and it was suggested to use the space for other purposes by the City Corporation.
It has been reliably learnt now, that the works for the Vellalore Integrated Bus Stand has been finally abandoned forthwith.
In the meanwhile, there are also allegations that the project was deliberately implemented at the insistence of Velumani, a former AIADMK Minister at a place not conducive to the project.