The Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit System ltd (DIMTS) has won the bid for architectural design and market assessment studies of the much-awaited Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Baramunda here. The bid process was conducted on Thursday by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), which would develop the proposed terminal.
The DIMTS was one among four bidders, who participated in the bidding process.
The DIMTS would submit an “inception report” and a “market demand assessment and best option study report” on the project. This is the State’s biggest bus terminal connecting inter- and intra-State locations. Now, more than 1,000 buses are using the 15.5-acre terminal.
The DIMTS has developed ISBTs at Kashmere Gate, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar in New Delhi and also executed similar projects at the New Delhi railway station and a multimodael transport network for the Anand Vihar railway station. Besides, it has also done ISBTs at NIT Faridabad, Ambala city and eight towns in Jharkhand.
The design components for the Baramunda ISBT project would integrate mixed land use development with commercial office space, retail space, multi-level care parking and open public space. The terminal would ensure passenger pick-up and drop-off (PPUDO) facilities for private vehicles, pre-paid private vehicles, pre-paid auto rickshaws, taxis, cycle rickshaws, and taxi-aggregator vehicles such as Ola and Uber.
The project would also have a design to integrate an efficient fibre-optic network, ensure Wi-Fi connectivity, an area-wide real-time parking information display system, a coordinated transit information system for intra or inter-city bus service and future mass transit system, provision for controlled access management to allow proactive monitoring of the development including CCTV surveillance and integrating building information modelling (BIM) in building architecture.
The design of the new ISBT would be flexible enough to compliment the nearby areas, represent the culture, architectural elements used in buildings and monuments of the city and aesthetically appealing while establishing a unique identity for a modern urban centre. It would also have a safe and vibrant public plaza. The design element would also have the power to attract passengers to public transport.
The ISBT would have easy access by people with mobility limitations and integration of transport and non-transport uses. While the facility would have child-friendly features and design elements, all its nooks and corners would have mandatory adherence to the universal accessibility guidelines for the entire project.
The existing Baramunda bus terminus is operating more as a depot for both OSRTC and private buses rather than functioning as a high-frequency intermodal terminal. So, the new design for the ISBT would ensure a change of the philosophy and transform the facility to a high-frequency multimodal terminal.
To serve the parking demand of the mixed use development, the ISBT would have multi-level parking (MlP). The ground floor of the MlP would include retail spaces to maintain an active frontage to avoid standalone parking structures.
While the design solution would include the possibilities of integrating future mass transport facilities as well, other components like intermediate public transport (bicycles, auto-rickshaws, taxis and car-sharing), passenger information centre and parking for differently-abled and VIPs would also be ensured.
