Bhubaneswar: The Master Canteen Square and its nearby areas are set for a massive transformation with the government planning to upgrade it to international standards at a cost of Rs 500 crore under the Bhubaneswar Town Project.
The 12-acres covering the railway station and its adjacent areas will be developed and the railway station and the old bus stand will be upgraded to international standards.
Under the project, three 21-storey towers will be constructed on the stretch between the railway station and Golai Square and from Ashoka Market to the Bus Stand. One of the towers will be for commercial purpose, one for retail traders and another for residential purposes.
The decision to upgrade the area was taken at a meeting held at the Secretariat attended by Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, Railway authorities and BDA vice-chairman Krishnan Kumar.
Sources said the railway ticket counter, the main road behind the cycle and bike stand, the road near Lalchand Jewellers from the railway station post office to the Master Canteen bus stand and places near Ashoka Market will be developed under the project.
The project will be commissioned by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and the government will provide the funds. The final design will be readied by the end of this month. Once the project is completed passengers will have world class amenities at the railway station. The government will hand over the project to the Railways after completion. An agreement will be signed between the government and the Railways regarding this soon, sources said.
Thousands visit the Bhubaneswar railway station every day. A multipurpose car parking will be constructed for railway passengers and the public under the project. The old bus stand will be demolished and a bus terminal of international standards will be developed there. Apart from city buses, inter-city buses will also park at the terminal. A designated track will be constructed for pedestrians and cyclists.
Tenders have been floated for preparing the project’s design and three firms have applied. The firms will prepare the design and hand it over to the government by September-end.
BDA additional commissioner Bhabani Shankar Chaini said, “The project’s budget has not been finalised. However, it will approximately cost Rs 500 crore. Once the final design is prepared we will make the estimation. Some parts of the project will be constructed on PPP mode and the government will bear the remaining cost.”
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