"HD-BRTS to Launch Transit-Oriented Development Projects in Hubballi"

If all goes as planned, the Hubballi-Dharwad Bus Rapid Transit System (HD-BRTS) will undertake several development projects as part of the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) initiative near the Navanagar BRTS bus stop. These projects, set to be developed on approximately 7,250 square meters of land owned by the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, aim to benefit the public, particularly children. A tender has been issued for the Rs 3 crore project, which will include a food park, transit plaza, children’s park, and public toilets. The work is expected to begin soon after the tender process is completed and is anticipated to be finished within a year.

Navanagar, centrally located in the Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities, is a densely populated area that serves as a hub for various services, including healthcare, education, and marketing, for surrounding villages. The Hubballi-Dharwad BRTS bus station in Navanagar offers excellent connectivity, making it an ideal location for the TOD project. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport in Bengaluru has sanctioned the project, which aims to create spaces where people can live, work, play, and feel safe and connected.

According to HD-BRTS General Manager R. Gudaraddi, the TOD project integrates land use and transport planning to develop sustainable urban growth centers with walkable, livable communities featuring high-density mixed land use. "The project will provide citizens access to open green and public spaces while efficiently utilizing transit facilities," he said.

The project includes four main components: a food court, transit plaza, children’s park, and traffic park. The food court will feature 12 stalls and an adjacent public toilet. The transit plaza will include seating and a garden. The children’s park will be equipped with play structures, a wire fence for safety, a children's toilet, a security guard room, and an auditorium for various activities. Additionally, a traffic park will be constructed to educate children about traffic rules, complete with small signals, roads, signage boards, pedestrian crossings, and other models.

Basavaraj Jamboti, a resident of Navanagar, welcomed the initiative, expressing hope that the BRTS will ensure the work is of high quality for the convenience of Navanagar's residents and neighboring areas.

ET