New Delhi
The Delhi transport department is planning to set up a new interstate bus terminal (ISBT) on 20 acres of land reclaimed from the Bhalswa landfill site in north Delhi, senior government officials said. The proposed ISBT would exclusively cater to buses coming from Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, and will help decongest the Outer Ring Road and Kashmere Gate, officials said.
The construction of the ISBT was also discussed by Delhi transport minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh on Tuesday, in a review with the transport department and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), officials said. The proposed terminal is expected to significantly improve interstate bus connectivity and passenger facilities in the northern part of the city.
“New transport terminals will play a crucial role in building a cleaner and more efficient transport network for Delhi,” said Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh.
The Bhalswa landfill site is spread across 70 acres, with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) having reclaimed around 12 acres by removing legacy waste through biomining. Commissioned in 1994, the government has set a target of completely reclaiming the landfill site by December 2026. The idea of setting up an ISBT here was first discussed on January 31.
An official, who did not wish to be named, said that the site is ideal for catering to the buses coming from northern states via outer Delhi. “A detailed proposal regarding this project will be prepared,” the official said.
Operationalised in 1976, the Kashmere Gate ISBT is the oldest and largest such terminal in Delhi but it has become a key reason for increased traffic congestion and consequent vehicular emissions on GT Road and connecting arterial stretches.
If executed, an ISBT at a junction of GT Karnal Road and Outer Ring Road near Mukarba Chowk will cater to the buses coming from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir. “This will help relieve the pressure of hundreds of buses from Delhi’s roads as well as the Kashmere Gate ISBT, helping ease the situation on Ring Road–Outer Ring Road–National Highway-44 (NH-44) stretches,” the official said.
Delhi traffic police has also suggested that buses originating from and terminating at Kashmere Gate ISBT be shifted to the new route via the recently inaugurated Dehradun Expressway and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE).