Billed as the country's first fully air-conditioned ISBT, this three-terminal, 1,900-bus-capacity facility opened in December 2016 but was reported within months to be finding "no takers" — passengers continued using the older, dilapidated Phase VIII stand and Chandigarh's Sector 43 ISBT instead, and years later locals still described buses entering and exiting "without stopping" as almost no passengers were present.
On record
The official record states: "Officials pointed to poor location and connectivity plus the failure to de-notify the old Phase VIII bus stand, which meant operators faced no penalty for continuing to skip the new terminal."
Filed as "Ghost infrastructure" and dated to Opened December 2016, this entry sits under the "₹700 crore" line of the public accounts.
What to expect
- An air-conditioned terminal the buses have collectively agreed to skip.
- Ticket counters staffed by expectation more than personnel.
- A food court awaiting the footfall the feasibility study promised.
- Buses picking up, as ever, from the old stand a kilometre away.
Sourcing
2 public sources — news reports, RTI replies and civic archives — corroborate this entry. The citation trail is listed below for anyone who would like to follow up with the department concerned.
“Every review meeting ends with the words 'by next quarter'.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Banda_Singh_Bahadur_Inter_State_Bus_Terminus
- https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/country-s-first-ac-bus-stand-in-mohali-finds-no-takers-1491049120.html
Visitor reviews
“Heard the story from an auto driver and went to see for myself. The contractor left, but the commitment to the bit stayed.”
“Came for a photo and left with several questions. It is progressing at the speed of committee.”
“Stumbled on it while looking for somewhere to eat. Worth the trip if only to confirm it is real.”
