The Amdavad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS)-run Lal Darwaja bus station, which was built in 1955 at the heart of the city was shut down in 2021 to undergo a major renovation in order to match up with its surroundings, the historic city of Old Ahmedabad which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage City in 2017.
Originally proposed in the 2000s under the Walled City Revitalisation Project by then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the project’s plans saw multiple changes including the addition of administrative offices in the upper level before the plan was shelved. Under the Vijay Rupani government, it finally received a green signal along with a budgetary sanction of ₹5.72 crore in 2017 but was delayed due to lack of approvals from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), whose approval was necessary due to the presence of several monuments within a 2,000 metre radius.
The foundation stone was laid on 8 April 2017 by Rupani. After numerous delays, the project got ahead in 2021 and was to be complete by 2022 but was finally inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on 5 June 2023.
Spread over 11,583 square metres, the bus station is a two-storeyed structure with lighting to match the aesthetics. A proper drainage system and reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roads were also laid. The stone –Bansi Pahadpur stone – for the building have come from Bharatpur in Rajasthan which helps in lowering the temperature inside the bus terminal. Seating arrangements involve decorative bus shelters. LED display-based Passenger Information Systems (PIS) have also been installed. Facilities for administrative purposes such as a control room, a meeting hall as well as solar power have also been set up. 35 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for security have been installed. The revamped terminal has a capacity of 503 buses with nearly 80 routes touching it. Nearly 1.95 lakh passengers are expected to use Lal Darwaza daily.
The tiles in the bus station have been carved to resemble the Siddi Saiyyed Jali which is the unofficial symbol of the city. The pillars are round and have been designed in the style of those present at havelis while lighting is provided by lanterns and railings are leaf-patterned.
The building is six metres tall and permission from the ASI has been secured to increase the height to 12 metres if expansion is required.
You can watch a walk through of the bus terminal (in Hindi) on YouTube thanks to Youtuber DeepsBeenHere:
Featured Image: Front facade of the Lal Darwaja Bus Station tweeted by Bhupendra Patel.
