“The structural works would be over by April. Right now 55% of the work is complete; the project is moving on a slightly delayed schedule but within the specified budget.”

The terminal building is being built on an elevated ground so as to negate the age-old ridicule of the bus stand being transformed to a 'boat harbor' with every rainfall.

“The building is being constructed on an elevated portion of land which gradually slopes to the sides. So there is no chance of the new bus terminal getting flooded with every rainfall.”

The terminal project has been designed to essentially handle city and short distance bus services as the current plan is to move the long distance and inter-state services out to Enchakkal, along the NH by-pass road. But that project is yet to take off and in the current scenario, the terminal complex will have to bear the additional burden of handling the local services as well. There had also been a suggestion to link the bus terminal with the Central Railway Station with a flyover at the time when the project was charted, but that idea, unfortunately, has been shelved – at least for the time being.

The project at Thampanoor terminal complex is one among the five complexes being constructed in the state under the BOT concept, with Angamaly, Kozhikode, Peroorkada and Malappuram being the others. Once complete, the terminal would have an idling space to fit 150 buses, with the complex building comprising three floors of shops, two floors for parking, escalators, and modern toilet facilities. And it could certainly go a long way in radically changing the public's general impression about a bus terminal.