With sitting arrangement, route chart
To provide better service to the passengers of city buses, the Western Odisha Urban Transport Service limited (WOUTSl) has decided to develop bus stops across the city. The WOUTSl is the apex body of city bus service in Sambalpur.
The WOUTSl has a proposal to develop 42 bus stops across the city and in the nearby areas. However, 10 bus tops will be developed in the first phase. They will come up at Kacheri Chhak, Jail Chhak, GM College Chhak, entrance gate of Budharaja temple, Budharaja High School, Remed and Ainthapali Chhak, etc.
“We have already identified the places for the 10 bus stops,” said WOUTSl CEO Anirudha Padhan.
Notably, the city bus service, which is operational on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, began here on January 29 last. A Sambalpur based private firm, ‘Paschim Odisha Pribahan Company’ has partnered with the Government for the service. 32 buses have already been procured for the city bus service here. However, so far 15 buses have been pressed into service. Currently, the city buses are plying on the Sambalpur-Maneswar, Sambalpur- Burla, Sambalpur-Jharsuguda, Sambalpur Hirakud and Sambalpur- Chiplima routes.
Paschim Odisha Paribahan Company CEO Bipin Bhatia said, “There will be sitting arrangement at the bus stops. Moreover, the passengers will get information about the routes and the timing of the city buses there. We will install display boards, which will contain the route details and timing of the buses at the bus stops.”
The city residents and the passengers have appreciated the move. “The passengers will be benefited after the bus stops are developed. They will find a place to wait for the bus. Moreover, the display board will also be very helpful,” said Newton Ray, a resident here.