Cuttack: Expressing concern over delay in construction of Gopalpur bus terminal, Maitree Sansad, a city-based social outfit, has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary’s grievance cell recently.
The outfit has pleaded for an impartial inquiry into the prevailing uncertainty over construction of the bus terminal, sources said.
The state government had decided to construct a bus terminal at Gopalpur to reduce burden on Badambadi bus stand here and ease traffic congestions in the locality.
The state government had identified 42.460-acre land for the bus terminal in 2012. The land was handed over to the Transport and Commerce department in 2015. However, the authorities concerned failed to take up the bus terminal project.
Protesting the delay in the implementation of the project, the Maitree Sansad had filed a PIL in the Orissa High Court in 2014. Subsequently, the state government had asked the Odisha State Police Housing Corporation to build boundary walls for the bus terminal. However, the boundary wall construction is yet to be completed, sources added.
In the meantime, the Commerce and Transport department had submitted an affidavit in the HC August 25, 2019 and claimed that the boundary wall construction would be completed by October last year. However, no step was taken to expedite the project.
The petitioner had filed a fresh affidavit in the court and urged it to take necessary steps for construction of the Gopalpur bus terminal and renovation of Badambadi bus stand.
Accepting the affidavit, the HC, in its November 18, 2019 order, had directed the authorities concerned to complete the bus terminal project at the earliest.