Bhubaneswar, Aug. 19: Whether you drive down to Nandankanan or take a public vehicle to the zoo, you are set to experience less hassle as a multi-storey parking lot and a modern bus terminus are on the radar.

The public works department, which will take up the projects, has sought Rs 35 crore from the government. A works department official said that they would prepare a detailed project report and invite tender for the work as soon as the government gave its nod.

At present, Nandankanan, the state's biggest zoological park, does not have a regulated parking facility. Visitors now park their vehicles on a patch of land located to the left of the park's main entrance. The parking area usually gets full on Sundays and other public holidays, creating problems for visitors.

The new multi-storey parking lot will be able accommodate about a thousand cars.

"Now, one does not get parking space if he/she comes late on weekends or public holidays. There is no safe place in and around the zoo where we can keep the vehicles and enter the zoo. We welcome the administration's plan to create a dedicated parking facility here," said Upasana Suvra, a regular visitor to the zoo from Cuttack.

The works department official also said that the decision to construct the bus terminus was taken as many visitors to Nandankanan used public transport to reach the zoo. Now, there is a bus stop near the zoo, but no bus terminus. The bus terminus at Nandankanan would be the third such facility in Bhubaneswar after the ones at Baramunda and Master Canteen. It is expected that the number of buses reaching Nandankanan will increase once a bus terminus comes up in the area.

"The proposed terminus will ensure that more buses reach Nandankanan. It will help us reach the zoo more easily," said Sampad Mohanty, an Acharya Vihar resident.

Another works department official said that they had prepared the initial drawings and sent it to the government for administrative approval. "We have prepared the designs and have forwarded the documents to the forest and environment department for sanction of funds. We will float the tender once the funds are sanctioned," said chief engineer (buildings) S.R. Sethi.

About 10,000 people come to Nandankanan daily, while the area struggles to accommodate as many as 700 vehicles every day.

A Nandankanan official also said that the parking lot and bus-terminus would help visitors coming to the zoo.

"We had a meeting with the works department official in April when this decision was taken. It is the need of the hour to get a regulated parking facility and a bus terminus here. We hope the government sanctions the grant and the work completes soon," said the official.