Confusion persists over upkeep of ISBT

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 26

Confusion persists over the agency entrusted with the upkeep of the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Dehradun which had caught the attention of Uttarakhand Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh, who was shocked at the poor condition of the ISBT, when she had gone to inaugurate the Nirbhaya bus service on March 11.

At that point of time the minister thinking that the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) was in charge of the general upkeep had said that as the agency had failed to maintain the site, it should be vested with the responsibility.

However, on contacting R Meenakshi Sundaram, the vice chairman of the MDDA, he said that the maintenance of the ISBT was still being taken care by Ramky, the private agency that had built the project.

“The agency is still in charge of the maintenance of the ISBT and MDDA is not keen to cancel the contract as it would burden us with a liability of Rs 20 crore. The private agency has been unable to pay for building the ISBT,” said Meenakshi.

Significantly, the ISBT was the first public private project undertaken by the Uttarakhand government when the first Congress government under former Chief Minister ND Tiwari was in power. Ten years down the line, the ISBT as it exists today with broken infrastructure, garbage strewn all around and leaky drains tell a tale of neglect.

While the minister expressed her annoyance at the officials present that day, nothing has so far been done for changing things at the ISBT that attracts passengers from all over the country.

“The minister has come and gone but the things remain the same here. In the coming years, the ISBT will resemble any other bus stand on which crores were spent, but nothing was done to plan for it’s maintenance with the hope that it could serve the people well,” said Hemlata, a commuter.