Bus Terminal Design Guidelines for ASRTU – Design of Chandigarh CTU ISBT

Bus terminal planning in terms of infrastructure, operations and financial planning requires certain enablers, which must be put in place. For the purpose – S G Architects, developed a detailed bus terminal (local and regional) design guideline for Association of State Road Transport Undertaking (ASRTU). The guideline provides planning and design recommendations for different typologies and sizes of bus terminal. This includes planning recommendations for passenger as well bus circulation, estimating bus bay as well parking requirement, infrastructure as well operations planning, and financing options of bus terminals. The guidelines were developed based on an understanding of requirements generated through live design exercises for 4 bus terminals in India. One of them is Sector 43 ISBT – Chandigarh for CTU (8.49 Ha). Sector 43 ISBT Chandigarh was planned with high rise air space development and commercial exploitation.

The commercial area included dormitories, commuter lodge, restaurants, office spaces, post office, tourist spaces etc. Bus terminal planning in terms of infrastructure, operations and financial planning requires certain enablers, which must be put in place. For the purpose – S G Architects, developed a detailed bus terminal (local and regional) design guideline for Association of State Road Transport Undertaking (ASRTU). The guideline provides planning and design recommendations for different typologies and sizes of bus terminal. This includes planning recommendations for passenger as well bus circulation, estimating bus bay as well parking requirement, infrastructure as well operations planning, and financing options of bus terminals. The guidelines were developed based on an understanding of requirements generated through live design exercises for 4 bus terminals in India. One of them is Sector 43 ISBT – Chandigarh for CTU (8.49 Ha). Sector 43 ISBT Chandigarh was planned with high rise air space development and commercial exploitation. The commercial area included dormitories, commuter lodge, restaurants, office spaces, post office, tourist spaces etc.

The tasks undertaken included bus terminal literature and case study review of best practices (national and international), understanding of bus terminal requirement in Indian context through stakeholder interaction and live design exercises for key stakeholders, transportation surveys of the sites, finalization of all layout planning, design drawings (including suggested sectional elevations or massing and external finishing options) in agreement with stakeholders at each case study site, alternative conceptual design proposals for bus terminal sites, detailed design and mobility plans of finalized option, inside as well outside the terminal site, listing of planning requirements (including area requirements, parking demand requirements, etc.) based on hourly bus flow demand and site function, development of the final guideline document, disseminating the guidelines with STUs, consultants and other stakeholders with the help of ASRTU.