Bhubaneswar: City bus service is going to be a new experience for commuters as it is all set to be revamped with a future-ready, four-phase “city bus modernisation plan’.
In phase one, which is proposed to be executed during 2017-18, a fleet of 200 new buses — 50 standard AC buses, 50 standard non- AC buses and 100 midi buses — will be added to the existing fleet of 110 buses. Two new depots along with the existing depot at Pokhariput shall be developed during this phase.
“Keeping the upcoming Hockey World Cup in view, the full- fledged commencement of this phase is expected to be achieved by October, 2018,” an official said.
In phase two, which is proposed to be executed during 2018-19, electric vehicles would be introduced in the city. To keep pace with the changing world order and to address the increasing pollution levels, electric vehicles would definitely make a difference.
The third phase (2019-20) would see addition of peripheral cities and satellite towns around the state capital under the ‘city bus service’. Three hundred new buses would be added and 110 vehicles of the old fleet would be phased out.
An additional 400 buses would be added to the ‘city bus service’ during the last phase which would be executed by 2027. This addition will be essential to cater to another 2 to 2.5 million population of that time in the growing city. And, 200 buses which were added during the first phase would be replaced.
This apart, the Bhubaneswar City Bus Modernisation Plan will be integrated with the futuristic vehicle tracking system, passenger information system, route planner, operation scheduling and crew scheduling. They form the backbone of the intelligence transport system (ITS) that shall be developed through Smart ITS project funded through Smart City. It may be noted that the Master System Integrator is already on board to start the implementation work of the ITS through the Intelligent City Operations and Management Centre (ICOMC).
Sources said that the Bhubaneswar City Bus Modernisation Plan would offer a lot of benefits. They include savings to people in transit costs, reduction in growth of vehicles, reduction in fuel consumption in the city, reduction in pollution and health benefit, accident reductions, increase in competitiveness and image of city, decrease in road congestion, reduction in expenditure required on roads, flyovers and parking places etc.
Currently, 110 buses are under operation by Bhubaneswar Puri Transport Services. While there is one bus terminal at Master Canteen, there is one bus depot at Pokhariput and two origin destination (OD) terminals are at Chandrasekharpur and Ghatikia.
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