Rs 100 crore Kullu Central Mall at ISBT fails to see desired footfall

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, June 18

Kullu Central Mall at the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Sarwari, Kullu, has become the centre of attraction for locals and tourists.

Contrary to what one might expect from a bus terminal, the station at Kullu is full of amenities and branded showrooms, providing a luxury experience for visitors. The mall has an escalator, 5 elevators, modern toilets on every floor and other state-of-the-art facilities.

The mall was built under the Public Private Partnership model at a cost of around Rs 100 crore. A multiplex movie theatre is also on the cards for the mall. While locals and tourists alike may enjoy cruising through the mall, some opine that the same cannot be said about the commute to it.

The Bhootnath Bridge, which connects the Kullu ISBT to the Kullu bypass National Highway, has still not been reopened for heavy vehicular traffic despite more than Rs 3 crore being spent on its repairs over the last five years.

Vehicular traffic on the two-lane concrete bridge was halted in January 2019, just five years after its inauguration. The bridge was restored for light vehicles on October 16 last year and the authorities had stated that heavy vehicles would be allowed to cross the bridge again soon. However, the bridge is yet to be opened to heavy vehicle traffic. This has led to a decrease in tourist footfall at the ISBT, which has had a significant impact on the businesses at the mall.

Most long route buses, including luxury tourist buses, do not enter the bus terminal and directly head to Manali from the Kullu bypass road due to the lack of accessibility. Most light vehicles also avoid entering the town to evade the city traffic. Moreover, the condition of the road from the Bhootnath Bridge entrance gate to the mall is pathetic. Due to this, the mall has not been able to witness the anticipated footfall.

Now, CSA Infratech, the company that runs the Kullu Central Mall, is attempting to beautify the road from the Bhootnath Bridge entrance gate to the bus stand as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR). The Kullu Municipal Council will cooperate with the firm in this direction so that the general public can avail the facilities at the bus station.

Kullu Central Mall project head Dixit Malhotra said, “Almost all the formalities for the beautification of the entrance to the ISBT have been completed and the beautification will begin soon.”