Bhubaneswar: The state government has decided to develop a state-of-the-art bus terminal at Khannagar in Cuttack city at a cost of Rs65 crore.
Holding a high-level meeting in this regard, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday announced that the bus terminal would be named after the great freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Notably, the country is going to celebrate Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary January 23 this year. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, one of the greatest freedom fighters, was born at Odia Bazaar in Cuttack and received school education there. In a tribute to Netaji, the bus stand will be named after him.
The state government has decided to set up a state-of-the-art bus terminal in Khannagar as the Badambadi bus stand is facing traffic congestion due to lack of space leading to problems for public and passengers.
Naveen directed to set up a special kiosk in the terminal to aware the public about Netaji’s life and struggles. To promote Netaji’s ideology and biography, motifs and paintings will be displayed at various points in the terminal.
The bus terminal will have all kinds of state-of-the-art facilities for the convenience of the passengers. It will include a large terminal building, 180 bus bays, parking space for 247 vehicles, bus service area, a vehicle repair and maintenance block, and parking space for three wheelers.
A three-storey terminal building will be built on 1,18,000 square feet land, which will include a passenger lounge, a food court, a cloak room, a ticket office, an e-vehicle charging point, rainwater storage on the roof and a solar panel.
The terminal will accommodate 180 buses at a time. There will also be an Integrated Information Management System for the convenience of passengers.
It was decided at the meeting to extend the Ring Road in Cuttack for another two kilometers for the construction of the terminal. Besides, an area of around two acres adjoining the proposed Netaji Bus Terminal will be reserved for development of commercial complex on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in future.
A private developer will be selected to develop the commercial complex and maintain it for a period of 45 years.
PNN