BHUBANESWAR: From being one of the first planned cities of India to getting the tag of ‘No 1 Smart City’ and hosting two international World Cup hockey events, Bhubaneswar will have many firsts when it celebrates its 75th foundation day.
The modern city, designed by the German architect Otto Konigsberger in 1946 for less than 50,000 people is now home to over 1 million population. From being a popular tourist destination to an education hub and sports capital to an IT and industries centre, the capital has excelled in many spheres in the last seven and half decades.
Chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority Subroto Bagchi recalled first coming to Bhubaneswar from Koraput at the age of eight. It was 1964 and the capital those days had only two town buses connecting Vani Vihar with Lingaraj temple, he recounted.
Over the years, the public transport has undergone a significant transformation. The Mo Bus service run by Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has over 300 buses in its fleet including a number of electric buses. One can travel hassle-free in the comfort of AC buses not just across the length and breadth of Bhubaneswar but also to neighbouring Cuttack and Puri without breaking a sweat.Not to mention the ride-sharing services, cab and auto-rickshaws which have become the lifeline of modern day Bhubaneswar.
Now Bhubaneswar is even looking forward to a Metro Rail network which can be a reality in next few years once Odisha government’s grand plans are put to action. This would not only redefine mass transport service but also bring in a metamorphosis in the state capital’s urban development dynamics over the next few decades.
Municipal commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange says the government is putting all efforts to make the Bhubaneswar one of the best livable cities in the country.“While Bhubaneswar is on the path of becoming a metro, our focus is also on preserving the heritage of the temple city, maintaining its beauty and greenery and improving the city’s cleanliness and sanitation further,” Kulange said.
Development notwithstanding, Bhubaneswar has been able to preserve and promote its rich culture and tradition. The Ekamra Kshetra Heritage Project of the State government aiming at conservation and revival of temples and monuments including Lingaraj shrine is one such move in this direction, says mayor Sulochana Das.
Kulange says there will be more focus on increasing the city’s green cover, use of e-vehicles for transport as well as renewable energy to reduce the city’s carbon footprint.Besides, there is concerted effort to provide drink from tap services to all households, waste management at micro-level in all wards, more public and community toilets and space development will also be the priority of modern Bhubaneswar in the coming days.
Metro rail network in the offing
Now Bhubaneswar is even looking forward to a Metro Rail network which can be a reality in next few years once Odisha government’s grand plans are put to action. This would not only redefine mass transport service but also bring in a metamorphosis in the state capital’s urban development dynamics over the next few decades.