Director of Raghadan Bus Terminal Department, Engineer Tahseen Abbadi asserted that renovation works are underway at the terminal as planned. The terminal is expected to be opened for public during the national celebrations of the Independence Day on May 25.
The project was funded by the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation, which sponsors a number of tourist projects in Jordan. The bank also funds another renovation project by Greater Amman Municipality at the Downtown area in Amman.
In his meeting with the Media Center at GAM, Abbadi said a consultative study was conducted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, while the Japanese Jordanian Consultative Commission has supervised the execution of the project, which takes place on an area of 34,000 square meters including 12,000 square meters of concrete structures.
The JD7 million-project includes three new tourist restaurants, a visitors center run by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in addition to 105 shops and stores for multi-purposes. There are also health units as well as parks for pedestrians. Abbadi said the terminal was built to enhance the beautification of landscape, and to promote the historic aspects in Raghadan area.
A number of bridges for pedestrians were also installed at the terminal and linked with the neighboring areas. Four towers were built in the terminal to cover the four sides of the project. The Japanese experts have recommended for an independent department to run the bus terminal in a way to enhance its vitality and protect interests of its users. The independent department will also have the right to handle issues related to the Traffic Department and the Jordan Public Transport Regulatory Commission (JPTRC).
GAM established the department in October 2005, and it is now fully-equipped with all the facilities and technical requirements it needs to effectuate its performance efficiently. A special committee runs the terminal in cooperation with the department, and it represents the Ministry of Tourism, the Traffic Department, the JPTRC, the Raghadan Directorate, and the Amman Police Department.
The committee will help in proposing the proper recommendations to enhance the performance at the terminal. The Japanese experts provided a three-week training course in Singapore for the staff of the Raghadan Bus Terminal Department, who attained the appropriate mechanisms on how to run bus terminals and to operate them professionally.