Post News Network
Puri, August 17: A swanky bus terminus at Malatipatapur which was constructed ahead of the Nabakalebara festival this year would be upgraded to an inter-state tourist bus stand soon.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting chaired by Nabakalebara infrastructure monitoring committee chairman and Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty held here Monday.
The government and the district administration are worried over the fact that the bus stand has remained unused ever since the end of the Nabakalebara festivities. It was then decided to shift the Talabania bus stand to Malatipatapur September 16 to make the unused bus stand functional. Buses coming from outside the state would be parked at Malatipatapur bus terminus near which an Auto Nagar would also come up on a three-acre land, it was decided at the meeting. All garages in the city will be transferred to Auto Nagar where four more garages will be opened. It was decided at the meeting that those wanting to open garages would be provided land at a monthly rent of Rs 2,500.
Two buses of Orissa State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) will operate round-the-clock to ferry tourists to and from the holy city. Two armed security personnel will guard the entry and exit points of the bus terminal, sources said. OSRTC will collect parking fees from tourist buses.
Taking a potshot at the administration, Puri Private Bus Owners’ Association secretary Lokanath Pani said, “Looking at the sorry state of affairs at the Gundicha Mandir bus stand owing to the apathy of the administration, it seems that the plan to transform Malatipatapur bus stand will turn out to be a damp squib.” He said the proposal will not see the light of day in the next five years as it would require huge infrastructure and a large amount of funds.
Chief temple administrator Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said: “Talabania tourist bus stand is situated at a sweet water conservation zone and it needs to be shifted as per a High Court directive. The court had ruled that no permanent structure, which is polluting in nature, will be allowed to come up in sweet water zone, said Mohapatra.
Inspector General (Central zone) RP Coche, Puri SP Asish Singh, transport secretary Sanjay Rastogi, additional collector Uddhav Charan Majhi and Puri municipality chairman Jayant Saragi attended the meeting.