Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet on Friday approved a new ‘Atal Bus Stands’ scheme for the construction, development, renovation, operation and maintenance of bus terminals across Odisha, with a planned outlay of Rs 3,400 crore by 2031-32.Though several bus stands had earlier been inaugurated under the Atal name, the new scheme is an overarching framework that brings all existing and upcoming public bus stands under a single management umbrella.“All existing and new bus stands will be integrated under the scheme. As many as 318 bus stands that are at various stages of construction will be covered,” chief secretary Anu Garg said. The Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) will be the implementing agency.Under the scheme, all designated Atal Bus Stands will be officially notified as public transport infrastructure and made accessible to both govt and private bus operators to ensure integrated and seamless public transport services.The bus stands will be developed at district, sub-divisional and block headquarters, urban local bodies, tourist centres and other important locations. They will be categorised into A, B and C classes based on passenger demand and transport requirements.The govt said the initiative aims to ensure uniform standards in infrastructure development, operations and maintenance, improve efficiency, boost revenue generation and strengthen the overall public transport framework, while adhering to industry best practices and environmental sustainability norms.All bus stands developed earlier under different schemes, including those managed by urban local bodies, will also be subsumed into the Atal Bus Stands scheme to ensure uniformity in management and service delivery across the state.
