Renovated Kashmere Gate ISBT snippets

Started in July 2011, the renovation of the Kashmere Gate ISBT is finally over and chief minister Sheila Dikshit will inaugurate it.
The renovation has overshot the government deadline by several months, with the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) — the agency in charge of the project — pushing the completion date first from November 2012 to January 2013 and finally this May.
Touted as a “world-class” facility, the ISBT has not only been redesigned to allow better accessibility to passengers with a streamlined departure bay and ticket counter, but has also upgraded with state-of-the-art public facilities.
“The arrival and departure bays have been redesigned to make them passenger-friendly. The bus circulation plan and ticket counters have been improved with enquiry booths for better passenger experience. The renovated bus terminal will have an air-conditioned waiting lounge, including glass elevators and escalators. Public information system (PIS) have also been installed to display the bus information,” said a DIMTS official.

However, insiders allege the delay in the formal opening has resulted in random thefts of toilet fixtures like taps and mirrors. The toilets had been fitted with latest fixtures from leading sanitary companies, added officials. Steel panels from escalators and other fixtures have also gone missing, say sources.
The ISBT was partially shut down for refurbishment in July 2011. Now, the transport department is also planning to build a 24X7 food court on the premises, which will be modelled after those in malls. To provide a direct access to it from Outer Ring Road, the existing foot overbridge will be extended up to ISBT.
The Delhi government is also going to float a tender to hire a maintenance agency for the ISBT. “We have prepared the tender document and it will be floated as soon as the government clears it,” said a transport official.
The Metro is also carrying out work at Kashmere Gate and once the land is handed back to the transport department, a parking lot will be built in front of ISBT.