Cuttack, May 16: The city bus service, which was launched in April, is yet to get a terminus of its own. 

Due to the absence of a terminus, it has become difficult for passengers to get information on the dedicated routes and stoppages. 

Moreover, incidents of thefts of various parts of the vehicles have also been reported. It is also creating problems for the private operator managing the city bus service under Cuttack Urban Transport Service Limited.

“A bus terminus is required as already there have been six incidents of theft of mirrors and other equipment, including batteries, from our buses,” said private operator Shahara Roadways’ official Sushansu Mishra, who said all buses were being parked at an open space near the Bikash Bhavan at Khannagar due to the absence of a dedicated terminus.

“We expected a better service, but there are absolutely no information on the timing and stoppages. We, therefore, have to depend on private buses to travel to Athgarh and Banki,” said Kishore Pradhan, a commuter.

“The state government should have started the service after getting all the necessary infrastructure in place. At present, commuters are finding it difficult to get information about movement of the buses, especially between Cuttack and Banki,” Ramesh Jena, another commuter.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation had earlier come up with Cuttack Urban Transport Service Limited that would manage the city bus service.

With the municipal commissioner as the transport body’s chief executive officer, there were plans to come up with a city bus service with a fleet of 100 buses.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off a fleet of 30 buses in the first phase on April 14. They are operating between Cuttack and adjoining areas, including Naraj, Choudwar, Athgarh and Banki.

The city buses are expected to cover an area of 320sqkm, consisting of 59 wards in the corporation limits, 19 wards within the Choudwar municipality areas as well as 60 villages in the Cuttack district with 100 buses.

The transport body officials, on the other hand, claimed that already a patch of land at CDA had been identified and all the infrastructural problems were expected to be over shortly.

“The district administration has identified nearly eight acres on the outskirts of Markatnagar where the proposed bus terminus for the city bus service will come up,” said the transport body’s chief executing officer Gyana Das.

Das said the transport body would deposit Rs 60 lakh by the end of the week to the revenue department for immediate transfer of the land.

Another senior official said the proposed bus terminus would also have provision for a work shed where damaged vehicles would be repaired. 

Besides, there are plans to install electronic signage at the stop regarding movement of the buses.

The work for the construction of the bus terminus-cum-work shed will start within the next couple of months. 

“Once the terminus is ready, we hope to take necessary measures to plug other loopholes plaguing the city bus service,” Das said.