Bhubaneswar: Public transport system to get a boost ahead of Hockey World Cup

BHUBANESWAR: Public transport system in the city is set to get a huge boost ahead of the Men's Hockey World Cup scheduled for November-December, this year.
During a review meeting here at the secretariat, chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday directed the authorities of the city municipal corporations to complete modernization process of the public transport system in the city before the mega event.

While currently 110 buses are plying on various routes in the city, 200 more sophisticated buses would be added to the fleet before November. As currently the public mobility by transport is only 6 per cent, Naveen asked the municipal authorities to enhance it to 16 per cent in future.

Naveen also took stock of the ambitious e-mobility (electric-powered transport system) for the smart city. It would be taken up with an investment of Rs 219.75 crore.

This includes bus modernization programme, procurement of e-rickshaws and creation of 32 km long transit corridor through which the e-buses will pass. The implementation will help check pollution load due to hydrocarbon emission as the mode will pave way for greener and cleaner city.

For the 32-km long transit corridors, as many as 92 electric buses will be required to ply on the routes. These buses will cater to 1, 92,000 daily passengers. Around 500 e-rickshaws will be purchased.

The implementation will be expedited given the fast growth of diesel auto-rickshaw in the city. Currently there are as many 30,000 auto rickshaws. Each year, there is a growth of 13 per cent of such rickshaw annually in the city.

Over one lakh tourists including 20,000 foreigners are expected to visit the city during the mega event scheduled November 28 to December 16 at Kalinga Stadium here.