Odisha: BDA signs pact with Singapore-based firm for Bhubaneswar town centre designing
BHUBANESHWAR: Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Wednesday signed an agreement with Jurong Consultants India Limited, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Surbana Jurong, for designing of the ambitious Bhubaneswar Town Centre (BTC) project.
BDA Secretary Ramesh Chandra Rout and Anand S Lourembam from Surbana Jurong signed the agreement. The design consultant also submitted an inception report having data compilation, design briefs and case studies so that they could go for designing an iconic structure in the city.
On September 26, Jurong Consultants had won the bid for designing a beautiful structure over a land of 12 acre near Bhubaneswar railway station. Known for its designs internationally, Jurong is all set to design the project, which is going to be one of the first such transit-oriented development projects in the country.
Sources said, the firm has already started working on the BTC project and submitted two different types of design briefs to BDA. The authorities will examine and select one for implementation.
"Once the design brief is adopted, the detailed designs and all aspects of its various elements would be incorporated to make the structure iconic. The town centre will be developed in such a way that by looking at it people would identify the city and the locality. It would be a 25-storey multi-modal hub having an interactive as well as innovative environment," said Rout.
In its preliminary report, Jurong has described case studies of different iconic structures, including civic amenities and multi-modal hubs in cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Bangkok besides Utrecht and Rotterdam Centraal Stations in Netherlands.
The innovative design for the iconic BTC project will cost over Rs 8.5 crore to BDA. The consultancy firm will submit the detailed design for the multi-modal hub and prepare a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the construction work tender.
"Once Jurong's design part is over, tender would be floated to select the construction company. Though the cost of project would be estimated after completion of the design, around Rs 600 crore is expected to be invested for the project," informed an official.
The BTC will primarily have theatre plaza, retail malls, landscape and different plazas for nature, art, experience and children. This will also have food courts, service apartments, pedestrianised streets along with dedicated pedestrian and cycling paths.
BDA Additional Commissioner Bhabani Shankar Chayani, Planning Member Sudhiranjan Mohanty and other senior officials were present on the occasion.