Bhubaneswar gets Sustainable Transportation through GIZ

The Odisha Government has signed a note of technical cooperation with Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India, representing the Government of Federal Republic of Germany. And as a part of the deal, GIZ will provide technical assistance in a bid to turn Bhubaneswar’s old transport system into a sustainable urban transport system.

GIZ which represent Germany will support in developing an integrated urban transport system providing sustainable mobility solutions for all people living in the city. A low carbon mobility plan (LCMP) would be prepared under this collaboration in the first phase. The state is desperately looking to urbanize its capital by introducing a sustainable transport system before the Hockey Men’s World Cup in November this year.

The note of cooperation was signed by officials of the State Government, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and project manager of GIZ in the presence of Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Niranjan Pujari.

The first phase was set in motion by procurement of over 200 AC and non-AC buses which will be deployed to supplement the new system in the city. In the first phase which was planned to be executed during 2017-18, 200 new buses will be added to the existing fleet of 110. Out of 200 buses, there will be 50 standard AC buses, 50 standard Non AC Buses and 100 midibuses. The full-fledged commencement of this phase shall be expected to be achieved by October 2018, keeping in view of upcoming Hockey World Cup in the city.

In phase two, during 2018-19, electric mobility would be introduced in the city as per the changing world order and affinity towards electric vehicles which will help in bringing down pollution levels planned around the structure of the new FAME scheme.

In phase three during 2019-20, peripheral cities and satellite towns around the state capital would be added under the City Bus Service by adding 300 new buses and phasing out of the 110 buses of the old fleet.

In the last phase, four proposed to be executed by 2027, additional 400 buses would be added to the City Bus Service to cater to another 2 to 2.5 million population of that time in the growing city and replacement of the 200 buses, those, which were added during the phase one.

A big step and motivation for other states to start looking at future plans which have the underlying motive of Sustainability.

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