BHUBANESWAR: The clumsy and crowded bus terminal at Baramunda here is all set to get a make over. The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has planned to build a modern Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) which will cater to both State-run and private buses. The state-of-the-art terminus would have easy access by people with mobility limitations and integration of transport and non-transport uses. While the facility would have child-friendly features and design elements, its nook and corner will have mandatory adherence to the universal accessibility guidelines.
Baramunda bus terminal is the biggest in the State with an area of 15.5 acre and is used for both inter-city and inter-State bus operations. On an average, 800 buses use the terminal daily as it is well connected with the city and other areas through NH-16.An official said the BDA has already floated tender for selection of an architectural and urban design consultant for the ambitious project. While the tender papers will be available till August 30, a pre-bid meeting will be held on August 9 for the project.
“The design consultant would make the market assessment to develop the bus terminal with all necessary facilities for the passengers, provide more convenient and easy transfer experience for the commuters by a multi-modal approach and explore a revenue generation model,” he said. As per the planning, the ISBT will have passenger pick-up and drop-off facilities for private vehicles, pre-paid auto-rickshaws, taxis, cycle-rickshaws and taxi aggregators like Ola and Uber.The design components for the project would, however, integrate mixed land use development with commercial office space, retail space, multi-level care parking and open public space.
The bus terminal will also have a design to integrate an efficient fibre-optic network, ensure Wi-Fi connectivity, area-wide real-time parking information display system, coordinated transit information system for intra or inter-city bus service and future mass transit system, provision for controlled access management to allow proactive monitoring of the development, including CCTV surveillance and integrating building information modelling. “The design of the new ISBT would be flexible enough to compliment the nearby areas, represent the culture and architectural elements used in buildings and monuments of the city and aesthetically appealing while establishing a unique identity for a modern urban centre. It would also have a safe and vibrant public plaza,” the official added.