Bhubaneswar, April 10: The State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday approved Rs 3,400 crore till FY 2031-32 for construction, development, operation, maintenance, renovation and management of bus stands under the Atal Bus Stand Yojana across the State.
The Atal Bus Stands will be established across the State at the levels of district, Sub-Divisional headquarters and block headquarters and ULBs including Tourist & other important locations in Odisha representing a strategic and transformative effort, poised to deliver a range of benefits such as enhancing social unity, driving economy and inclusive development throughout the State with environmental sustainability.
The scheme aims at integrating all public Bus Stands of the State under one umbrella of management of the "Atal Bus Stand" Scheme including all existing bus stands under earlier scheme and under Urban Local Body of the State, to ensure uniformity in development, renovation, operation, maintenance and management across the state.
Bus Stands included in the "Atal Bus Stand" scheme will be officially designated and notified as Public Transport Infrastructure to be used both by Government and Private Bus Operators for integrated public service and convenience.
For the purpose of "Enhanced Public Transport Infrastructure and Facilities across the State of Odisha", Government of Odisha has taken a transformative step by launching the Scheme titled 'Atal Bus Stand (ABS)' with the objective of Construction/ Development/ Renovation/Operation, Maintenance & Management of Bus Stands across the State.
The scheme emphasizes on development/ redevelopment of Bus Stand projects as per requirement at various locations across the State, improving operational and management efficiency, boosting revenue, enhancing financial strategies, unified and uniform development and management of all Bus Stands across the State under the scheme, consolidating infrastructure and services, reducing liabilities and strengthening the overall framework of the scheme all aligned with industry standards and best practices.
Under the Atal Bus Stand Scheme, Bus Stands shall be developed across the State at the levels of District Headquarters, Sub-Divisional Headquarters, Block Headquarters, ULBs including Tourist & other important locations in Odisha, categorized into "A", "B" and "C" class provisions of Bus Stands, as per requirement of public and need for considerable bus transportation and communication facility in the area with a scope to renovate, operate, maintain and manage all the Bus Stands taken up under the Scheme.
Further, in view of integrating all public Bus Stands of the State under one umbrella of management and to ensure uniformity in development, renovation, operation, maintenance and management across the state, all existing bus stands under earlier scheme and under Urban Local Body (ULB) of the State shall be included under the "Atal Bus Stand" Scheme, thereby officially designating and notifying all the Bus Stands included the "Atal Bus Stand" scheme as Public Transport Infrastructure and to be used both by Government and Private Bus Operators for integrated public service and convenience.
The "Atal Bus Stand (ABS)" Scheme shall be implemented by Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) under the Commerce & Transport department.
“A total budget of 3,400 Crores till FY 2031-32 has been approved by the Government for Construction/ Development/ Operation, Maintenance, Renovation & Management of Bus Stands across the State,” stated a Cabinet note.
