The State Government is mulling to set up an ultramodern inter-State bus terminus (ISBT) at Gopalpur in Cuttack. Recently, Commerce and Transport Secretary G Srinivas visited the spot along with senior officials and inspected the site.
A land measuring 42.64 acres is available with the Government at Gopalpur on the banks of river Kathajodi for development of the ISBT considering the growing needs of the denizens in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
In order to protect the Government land for the project, it has been decided to construct a boundary wall with RCC pillars having expansion joints and brick walls in front portion adjacent to the Kathajodi embankment road of the Water Resources Department.
The balance portion of the boundary wall would be constructed after filing up of low land and waterlogged area. While it is estimated that nearly Rs 3 crore would be required for construction of the boundary wall, necessary fund provision has been made paving the way for the work to start immediately.
Notably, a meeting was held on December 24, 2017 under the chairmanship of the Commerce and Transport Department Secretary to deliberate on development of bus-stands in the State.
It was decided that a team of senior officers will visit the site selected for the ISBT at Gopalpur to assess the feasibility of an inter-State bus stand at the specified location.
Accordingly, Srinivas along with Special Secretary Commerce and Transport Manoj Kumar Mishra, Cuttack district Collector Sushant Mohapatra and OSRTC General Manager and Cuttack Regional Transport Officer visited the specified location on January 18, 2018 to assess the feasibility of the project.
Plans will be there to develop this into a modern and model bus terminus for the State. The Principal Secretary also visited the Badambadi bus stand where repairs are going on for the existing bus stand. The Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation is executing the repair works at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore.
Srinivas is understood to have instructed OSRTC to create more passenger amenities at this bus stand like clean toilets, drinking water, waiting areas and high mast lights. OSRTC was also requested to upgrade the garage facilities available at Badambadi and keep in place a system where the buses’ entry and exit can be regulated for smooth management of traffic, said a senior official.