BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of men’s Hockey World Cup in the Capital this year, the State Government has decided to strengthen the urban transport system by inducting 200 new buses to the existing fleet of 110.
The proposal was sent to the State Government by Bhubaneswar-Puri Transport Services Limited (BPTSL) and it was approved by Empowered Committee on Infrastructure (ECI), presided over by Chief Secretary AP Padhi on Monday. BPTSL officials have chalked out a four-phase city bus modernisation plan to revamp the urban transport here.
In the first proposed phase, 2017/18, the authorities have decided to induct 200 new buses, including 50 standard AC buses, 50 standard non-AC buses and 100 mini-buses. It has also been decided to set up two new bus depots in the City. An attempt will be made to achieve the target by October, this year ahead of Hockey World Cup, said the officials.
The officials informed that in the second phase 2018/19, electricity mobility will be introduced in the city for electric vehicles which would help in bringing down pollution levels here.During the third phase 2019/20, the peripheral cities and satellite towns around the Capital would be included in the city bus service by adding about 300 new buses and decommissioning 110 buses of the old fleet.
And, in the last phase 2020/21, additional 400 buses would be added to the city bus service by replacing the 200 buses inducted during the first phase of the city bus modernisation plan.The officials also informed that Bhubaneswar city bus modernisation plan would be integrated with vehicle tracking system, passenger information system, route planner, operation scheduling, crew scheduling, among others.
The intelligent transportation system (ITS) would be developed under the smart ITS project funded by Bhubaneswar Smart City limited (BSCL). BPTSL, meanwhile, has 110 buses, one bus terminal at Station Square, one bus depot at Pokhariput and two origin and destination (OD) terminals in Chandrasekharpur and Ghatikia.The Chief Minister had recently conducted a review meeting regarding induction of the buses and modernisation of urban transport system a few days back.
BMC’s bell vehicle to alert encroachers
Bhubaneswar: With an aim to monitor encroachments on footpaths and roads, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday launched a dedicated vehicle, named bell vehicle. The civic body’s officials informed that a special squad has been formed to monitor street vendors encroaching the footpaths and roads in the city leading to traffic congestion. “The movement of the bell vehicle will be monitored by Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement with the assistance of some supervisors. The special squad will conduct surprise inspection in all the zones of the city without any prior notice,” a BMC official said, adding that the system has been implemented in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. The vehicle was flagged-off by MP Prasanna Patasani. Bhubaneswar Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, Deputy Mayor and other officials of the civic body were also present.