Puduraya stays as city bus hub

All inter-State operations will be moved to Bandar Tasik Selatan, says Nazri

PUDURAYA will remain. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said the long-term plan was for Puduraya to serve as the city bus terminal.
All inter-State bus operations will be moved to the Bandar Tasik Selatan bus terminal, he said after visiting the Puduraya bus terminal with Federal Territories Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin and Second Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah.
Nazri said the Bandar Tasik Selatan bus terminal, which will be ready next year, was initially only to be a hub for buses heading south. But, because of its strategic links with the LRT services and with ample room for expansion, it has been decided as the best place to be the inter-State bus hub.
"Let them start operations according to plans next year. After that, we will look into extending the bus terminal for all inter-State buses. The Duta and Putra bus terminal operations will also be moved there."
Nazri, however, was unable to give a specific date on when all the bus operations would be moved to the Bandar Tasik Selatan bus terminal.
The move was taken after a city walkabout by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak recently, where the Puduraya area was identified as a major source of the daily massive traffic congestion in KL and it was
decided that immediate steps were needed to improve the situation.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Husni said a total of RM30.3 million had been alloted to renovate and upgrade in stages the existing facilities at the Puduraya bus terminal.
Firstly, the bus terminal operator, UDA Holdings Bhd, which comes under the Ministry of Finance, has been given RM5.3 million to paint the entire building, upgrade the anti-fire system, footways, and airconditioningat the waiting areas.
"This is the short-term fix and work has already started. Once these works are completed by the middle of this year, it will be followed by the second phase, which will cost RM10.3 million."
The second phase will take six months and will include the upgrading of lifts, changing the exhaust fans at the basement and moving the ticket counters to the first floor.
"There are also plans to move the food court to the fourth floor," said Ahmad Husni.
The third phase will involve the upgrading of the waiting areas in the basement, the fixing of escalators and additional lifts and cargo lifts costing RM14.7 million.
The entire upgrading of Puduraya is expected to be completed by 2011.

tunku : the government should make sure that Bandar Tasik Selatan(BTS) 's terminal 100% completed before operating it. they should make sure that there is enough facilities , each and every detail given full consideration.they should not open it for southern sector first as it will cause inconvenience for the passengers using the terminal.it should be made for the future and not for current use.
it is good to see that finally the ugly, dirty ,filthy and congested Puduraya will be upgraded at last.