Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Oct 16:

As many as 400 city buses will soon ply in the Odisha capital to augment city commuting, sources in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

The BMC has planned to provide easy boarding and alighting facilities for commuters in every square.

BMC sources said the Corporation has decided to set up two bus depots in Patia and Patrapada or Bhagabanpur with provisions for housing over 100 buses in each depot. These depots will have bus repair facilities apart from basics like toilets and canteens.

The depot at Patia would be constructed in Patia mouza on plot no. 545 of khata no. 493-a five-acre plot of land.

Buses plying to Chandrasekharpur area if plying on this route in the night would be parked here and would start their journey from here in the morning on the next day.

Similarly, a depot will be set up at either at Patrapada or Bhagabanpur to house buses plying in Khandagiri, Patrapada, and nearby areas. The depot would have similar facilities like that of the depot at Patia.

For the purpose, a two-acre plot of land –plot no. 785 of khata no.778 at Patrapada and another two-acre land –plot no. 191 of khata no. 683 at Bhagabanpur have been identified.

The General Administration (GA) department has handed over these pieces of lands to the Housing and Urban Development department.

The GA department has clearly said that in the event of construction of bus depots not being completed within three years, the department will take back the land.