Bhubaneswar: The city administration has drawn up a detailed plan to improve urban infrastructure and take up beautification ahead of the men's hockey world cup to be held at Kalinga Stadium from November 28 to December 16.

Officials have discussed various aspects, including increasing the frequency of city bus services, improvement of bus shelters and terminal, development of major roads, construction of street furniture, fresh painting and plantation drives, introduction of some important smart city projects and branding of the city and its festivals, among others.

According to the bus service improvement plan, the authorities have decided to increase number of bus shelters as it was already decided that the existing fleet of 100 buses would be upgraded to a 300-bus facility by September. Besides, a "hop on-and-hop off" concept will come into force that will cover all major tourist attractions with new bus routes.

A concept of city bus tour will also be introduced wherein special routes will be devised to take out the tourists to various destinations across the city.

The tourism as well as the housing and urban development departments will work jointly to execute the plan.

"We have already got three new routes and are in the process of getting more," said an official of tourism department.

The public works department and the civic authorities, along with the smart city officials, have decided to complete the Smart Janpath project before September. Priority was given to put all overhead high-tension wires under the ground on Janpath and Bidyut Marg ahead of the event.

Besides, adequate number of public toilets and urinals will be put up on major roads of the city. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation will take up wall painting, murals, street art and installation of public art, while the Bhubaneswar Development Authority will look after landscaping and avenue plantation in various parts of the city.

The housing and urban development department has asked the civic body to expedite the process of procuring mechanical sweeping machines and conduct road sweeping using the machines on major thoroughfares.

"We will put a proposal before the government for procurement of the mechanical sweeping machines," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) will also take active part in the urban transformation ahead of the sports event.

The BSCL will introduce Wi-Fi service at as many as 300 locations and also operationalise the city operation centre, intelligent traffic control signalling system and the public bicycle-sharing programme before the hockey world cup.

The tourism department will organise a one-of-its-kind urban festival for branding of the men's hockey world cup among the visitors as well as the local residents here.

"We are carving out plans to conduct the city festival. It will be more like an integrated festival aiming at the youth," said a senior tourism official.