Bolangir: Even as 11 days have passed after the inauguration of a new bus terminal in this town, it is yet to become functional with the premises lying vacant.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had visited Bolangir September 22, inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of a slew of projects in the district along with the newly completed bus terminal in the town. Among the projects, the newly built bus terminal was the talk of the town.
The matter came to the fore after this correspondent visited the place and found that passenger bus services were yet to start from the newly-built bus terminal with the premises lying vacant.
Reports said, an ultra-modern bus terminal has been constructed at the RTO office road in the town. The construction of the new bus stand had raised much hope among the residents on availing better bus services for which people thronged the place during its construction and on the day of its inauguration to get a glimpse of the place.
They hoped that the bus terminal will become functional soon after its inauguration. However, their hopes started waning as bus services have not been started with the premises lying vacant and deserted.
When contacted, some workers said that the construction work is yet to get finished. The office of the bus terminal has not started functioning as colouring and electrification works are going on, they said. The authorities will take a call on plying of passenger buses from the terminal only after the work gets completed, they added.
Residents have demanded to make the bus terminal functional at the earliest so that it will ease the sufferings of the people travelling to various destinations.
