Bhubaneswar, Oct 31: The Odisha Government has taken another step towards setting up a world-class convention centre in Bhubaneswar, with a seating capacity of around 10,000 people. The Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC) has invited tenders to select a consultancy agency for preparing the master plan and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the ambitious project.

The last date for submission of bids was October 28, while the tender is scheduled to be opened on December 15.

The proposed convention centre will come up on around 18 acres of land at the site of the old Omfed plant in Chandrasekharpur, near the East Coast Railway headquarters, Rail Sadan. The location has been selected along the Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan road, one of the major arterial roads of the city.

The project is expected to strengthen Odisha's and Bhubaneswar's infrastructure for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism. The government is also working on plans to transform the Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan road into an elevated corridor, which is expected to improve connectivity to the proposed centre.

The project has been approved for implementation through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by the OBCC. The entire project funding will be provided by a private entity.

According to senior OBCC officials, the proposed centre aims to provide world-class facilities for major events, meetings, conferences and exhibitions. It is also expected to strengthen Bhubaneswar's position as a major business and tourism destination, while contributing to the city's economic and cultural development.

As per the preliminary plan, the convention centre will feature a main auditorium with a seating capacity of 4,000, another hall for 1,200 people and a third hall with a capacity of 500. It will also have at least four smaller conference rooms, each accommodating around 100 people.

The proposed facilities include a 50,000-square-foot indoor exhibition hall and an outdoor exhibition space with a capacity to accommodate around 30,000 people.

Modern amenities such as adequate parking, air-conditioning, an internal road network, security facilities and landscaping across the premises will also be part of the project.

The proposal has received a positive response from several quarters. Cultural personalities and art enthusiasts have pointed out that Bhubaneswar currently has limited large venues for hosting major conferences and cultural events.

Apart from Jayadev Bhawan, Rabindra Mandap, Bhanja Kala Mandap, Utkal Rangamancha and the OUAT Shiksha Sadan, the city lacks large government-level convention facilities, they said. They also noted that the Kalamandala project is yet to be completed.

Welcoming the government's move, they said the proposed convention centre would address a long-standing need of the capital city. However, they stressed that the project should be completed without unnecessary delays.