A bus in Cuttack. Telegraph picture

Cuttack, May 4: Orissa High Court today constituted a panel to ensure that required formalities were completed to enable the Dream Team Sahara to start the city bus service to Cuttack on May 15.

The two-judge bench of Justice B.P. Das and Justice M.M. Das constituted the five-member committee in response to the Dream Team Sahara’s affidavit filed yesterday.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of the Dream Team Sahara Sudhansu Sekhar Jena, in his affidavit, had committed to start the city bus service to Cuttack with 10 buses in the first phase, but had sought time till May 15 to complete the required formalities before starting the operation.

According to the CEO, before starting the operation there was need for law and order arrangement, appointment of drivers, identification and finalisation of bus stops, finalisation of route survey, MV Tax and terminals in Cuttack city and route permit.

The committee to ensure completion of the formalities by May 10 included three advocates, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Cuttack, and representative of Dream Team Sahara.

On April 16, the high court set May 1 as fresh deadline for the government to ensure plying of buses by extending the city bus service route to Cuttack. While directing to extend at least 15 buses to Cuttack city, the high court had warned that if the government failed this time, it would be viewed as contempt of court and appropriate action would be initiated.

Deer Park: In another order, the court directed the district administration to expedite the process of land allotment for the proposed second deer park by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC). This was necessary to tackle the problem of overpopulation at the Madhusudan Nagar deer park.

The proposed deer park became imperative as the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) had already asked the CMC for translocation of excess animals, while warning to shut down the park. At present, there are 64 deer in the park spread over two acres while regulation permits three to five on an acre.

The court issued the direction after delay over land allotment for the proposed park had been raised. Though a 12-acre forest category land had been identified at Bidanasi jointly by the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) and the CMC for the project, land was yet to be made available for it.

The CMC had planned to develop the second deer park as part of the beautification of Cuttack.