Pudu Sentral

Originally known as Puduraya, it was officially opened on 2 October 1976. The terminal was developed by the Urban Development Authority as part of the Kuala Lumpur comprehensive urban renewal programme {{cite news |title=Urban authority may resort to legal action |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19790131-1.2.14.1?qt=puduraya&q=puduraya |work=Business Times (Singapore) |date=31 January 1979}} at a cost of RM 16 million. The podium block opened in 1977 while the 14-storey tower block opened in April 1978.{{cite news |title=KL shopspace glut |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19781005-1.2.24?qt=puduraya&q=puduraya |work=Business Times (Singapore) |date=5 October 1978}}

North-bound buses move to Hentian Duta in April 2003.{{cite news |title=Fare enough |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes20030402-1.2.45.6.2?qt=puduraya&q=puduraya |work=The Straits Times |agency=The Star (Malaysia) |date=2 April 2003}}

In 2006, Pudu Sentral underwent a renovation costing about RM3 million (approx. US$817,000)

Minister in the Prime Minister's department Nazri Aziz said in May 2009 that with the opening of BTS terminal, Puduraya would only cater to city buses and taxis.{{cite web |url=http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=412306 |title=Puduraya Traffic Jam To Be Reduced With New Transport Hub |access-date=21 May 2009 |date=19 May 2009 |publisher=Bernama }} Traffic congestion near Puduraya bus terminus was reduced after Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Transport Terminal (ITT BTS) opened on January 1, 2011. BTS caters for most of Kuala Lumpur's long distance buses that previously utilised Pudu Sentral.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah also said in May 2009 that Puduraya would undergo a facelift to upgrade services as it prepared to become a city terminal. They included a new coat of paint, upgrading pedestrian walks from Plaza Rakyat LRT station to Puduraya, upgrading lifts and toilets and installing new fire prevention equipment.{{cite web |url=http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=412211 |title=RM30.3 Mln To Rejuvenate Puduraya Bus Terminal |access-date=21 May 2009 |date=19 May 2009 |publisher=Bernama }}

Puduraya was reopened on 16 April 2011 after undergoing massive renovations costing RM52.7mil. The terminal was closed in April 2010 for upgrading works and was supposed to be re-opened in September 2009.{{cite news |url=http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/4/15/central/8484750&sec=central |title=Puduraya Terminal to begin operations tomorrow |access-date=19 April 2011 |date=15 April 2011 |newspaper=The Star }}

On 27 August 2011, the Puduraya bus terminal was renamed as Pudu Sentral in keeping with its modern and new look on par with an airport. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the new name was a suggestion from a follower on his Twitter account.{{cite news |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/27/nation/20110827123801&sec=nation |title=New look Puduraya is now Pudu Sentral |access-date=29 September 2011 |date=27 August 2011 |newspaper=The Star }}

On 23 September 2012, Pudu Sentral became the Urban Transformation Centre for Kuala Lumpur. It was launched by Najib Razak. Pudu Sentral became the second Urban Transformation Centre after Malacca in June 2012. The Urban Transformation Centre houses government agencies, scores of private businesses, a Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia branch and a Kedai Kain 1Malaysia branch. The first Kedai Buku 1Malaysia is also located here. The transformation to become Urban Transformation centre cost RM24 million and took 6 weeks to complete. It was funded by the Ministry of Finance.

Najib said the Urban Transformation Centre would still run buses from its location. UDA Holdings chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the transformation meant that there would be more buses at the terminal, especially with its additional facilities.{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Regina|title=From Puduraya to UTC|url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/23/nation/20120923071748&sec=nation|access-date=23 September 2012|newspaper=thestar.com.my|date=23 September 2012}}

On 15 June 2007, a small homemade explosive, concealed in a snack wrapper and left on a concrete bench, was detonated at 9.10 pm (MST) at the Platform 7 entrance of the Puduraya bus station concourse, wounding an 11-year-old girl.{{cite news |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/16/nation/18049645&sec=nation |title=Little girl injured in explosion at Puduraya |access-date=29 August 2007 |author=Rashitha A. Hamid |date=16 June 2007 |newspaper=The Star |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831155510/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2007%2F6%2F16%2Fnation%2F18049645&sec=nation |archive-date=31 August 2007 |df=dmy-all }} The police, who vowed to investigate the motive of the blast and find the culprits of the bombing, ruled out the possibility that the bombing was masterminded and executed by militants, as certain quarters had claimed.{{cite news |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/18/nation/18056180&sec=nation |title=Puduraya blast not work of militants |access-date=29 August 2007 |date=18 June 2007 |newspaper=The Star }} No news pertaining to the bombings was available to the public thereafter.

The current operator of this bus terminal is UDA Holdings.

The bus terminal is accessible from Plaza Rakyat LRT Station and the Merdeka MRT station.

{{commons category|Pudu Sentral}}

• [http://www.uda.com.my/web/guest/puduraya Official Pudu Sentral website]

{{Bus transport in Malaysia}}

Category:Bus stations in Kuala Lumpur

Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 1976

Category:1976 establishments in Malaysia