Bhubaneswar, Oct. 25: Mahendra Sharma, 54, a businessman and resident of Rasulgarh, travels to Calcutta once every week on work. The state government finally has an answer to his love for travel in comfort between the two cities without the hassle of bargaining with private bus operators.
From November 1, the state-run Odisha Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) will run luxury AC buses between the two cities.
As of now, road connectivity between Bhubaneswar and Calcutta is dominated by private players who often charge more than the usual rate of Rs 460, especially during weekends and peak holiday season. These buses wait for passengers who are willing to pay more (sometimes as high as Rs 600) and refuse those who don't want to shell out the amount.
Sharma said that now, since road conditions have improved, more premium buses should be introduced on the route.
"I always travel by bus and feel that as compared to Hyderabad and Bangalore, inter-state travel from Bhubaneswar needs improvement," said Sharma.
Around 10 private luxury buses ply on the route on a daily basis. The commercial potential of the route has dawned on Odisha Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), which launched premium buses between the two cities today. Transport minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi today flagged off two premium Volvo vehicles from the city to inaugurate the bus service from Puri to Calcutta via Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
In the first phase, two 45-seater Volvo buses will run on the route from November 1. The premium bus service, called 'Airavata Gold', will reduce travel time by one hour to Calcutta because of improved roads and four-lane highways, said Majhi. He added that the bus service would meet the demands of passengers in the premium segment. The private buses that now run on the route take about eight hours to reach Calcutta from Bhubaneswar. These buses stop at Baleswar, besides Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The OSRTC luxury buses, however, will not stop anywhere except Bhubaneswar and Cuttack along with a midway halt for refreshments.
"Most states already have Volvo, Scania and other modern and comfortable buses. Odisha, too, wants to excel in the premium travel segment," Majhi said.
Frequent travellers have welcomed the move. "People prefer to travel in buses between the two capital cities as the journey time is less than eight hours. With the launch of the new bus service, people will have more options," said Narayan Mallick, 36, an IT professional and resident of Saheed Nagar.
The fare charged by the private operators is Rs 460, while OSRTC will charge Rs 450 for a one-way trip between the two cities.
Majhi said the luxury buses would take around half-an-hour less than Shatabdi Express, which takes seven-and-a-half hours from Bhubaneswar to Calcutta. "The service will be a viable option for those who want to travel in comfort," he added.
Passengers travelling on Airavata Gold will be given a clean blanket and a water bottle. They will also be provided roadside amenities at midway stops with eateries and clean toilets.
Besides, the OSRTC will shortly operate buses from the city airport to Cuttack and Puri. A decision to run Scania buses on the route has already been taken by the state carrier, said Majhi.
The 45-seater luxury buses will provide comfortable travel to passengers from the city's airport to both destinations. The move is aimed at providing more options for travel to the passengers, said the minister, adding that the fare structure would be finalised shortly. The buses will have a stoppage at Kalpana Square, said sources, to take in more passengers from Bhubaneswar.
John Joseph, 47, a professor based in Hyderabad who also has a house in Saheed Nagar, said the service would be useful for passengers from the airport. "There is no premium bus service from the airport to these cities. The buses will also help improve the image of the airport and the city," said Joseph, who travels frequently to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack from Hyderabad as visiting faculty.
