Orissa to modernise 29 bus terminals

Bhubaneswar, May 22 (UNI)The Orissa government has decided to develop 29 modern bus terminals in the state under Public Private Partnership to provide better facilities to the commuters.

The bus terminals would be developed by Industrial Development Corporation and Integrated Lease and Finance Service (IL&FS)under Project Development Partnership.

The bus terminals identified by a study conducted by the IL&FS, would be developed in four phases with the Transport department as the nodal department.

In the first phase seven bus terminals -Badambadi, two in Bhubaneswar and one each in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Augul and Dhenkanal would be taken up.

Sources said out of the seven, tender for four terminals-- Dhenkanal, Angul, Sambalpur and Cuttack-- had already been invited and the bidding for the next three would be made soon.

The terminals would have commercial space for making it economically viable.

The terminals listed for development in the second and third phase would be provided with viable funding.

While in phase three small bus terminals like Konark and Satapada would be taken up. Four existing bus terminals like Berhampur would be upgraded in fourth phase, the sources said.

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