BHUBANESWAR: A smart bus system to ease urban transport is a realistic solution for mass transit and mobility in the city. With the existing resources and requirement, the smart bus transit system needs to be convenient to attract citizens towards public transport, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said here on Thursday.
Addressing the inaugural event of ‘Bhubaneswar Urban Lectures’, Padhi said the stakeholders of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) should adopt a system which can be expanded in the future. This apart, the city has to cater to other demands like public health, sanitation, environment and infrastructure, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chairman of Bhubaneswar Development Authority Dr Krishan Kumar said the BSCL is in consultation with experts for transit-oriented development which will prioritise smart bus service. Around 600 buses would ply from various destinations connecting the core and extended areas of the city, he said.
Addressing a session on ‘Implementation of Complete Streets’ at the event, Police Commissioner Yogesh Bahadur Khurania said over the years, a number of structures and utilities have come up in Bhubaneswar which is unused or under-utilised. “The cycle tracks from Jaydev Vihar to Nandankanan, which was proposed around a decade back, is of little use. Similarly, the foot-over bridge near Jaydev Vihar Square, which was built at a cost of two crores, has few takers,” he said.
CEO of BSCL Vineel Krishna said though the city has wide roads, high density of vehicles has led to traffic snarls, besides it leaves little space for pedestrians and cyclists. “The ‘complete street’ concept will focus on non-motorised transport which will ease the stress of motor vehicles on roads,” he said.
Parking, a major concern of denizens in the city, will also be prioritised. “On Janpath, four multi-level parking (MLPs) have been proposed. Of these, tenders for three MLPs have been floated. Land clearance for another MLP near IDCO exhibition ground is also underway,” added Krishna.
The lecture series was organised by the BSCL in collaboration with World Resources Institute (WRI). Among others, Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan and Dr Dario Hidalgo of the WRI spoke.