Bhubaneswar, Oct. 3: The development authority has roped in a Singapore-based firm to give final touches to the design of railway station multi-modal hub and start the work by January.

The multi-modal hub will include development of the railway station, bus terminal, multi-level car parking, pedestrian plaza, convention centre, performance plaza, kids play area, art gallery, bicycle and pedestrian path, office building and dedicated pick-up and drop-off lanes for taxis and auto-rickshaws.

Sources said the basic design was ready, while the authorities were planning to add the city's ancient architectural style to the Rs 250-crore project to be executed in two phases. While the first phase will see development of a city bus terminal, underground parking and others, phase two will witness mixed use of real estate and development of Ashoka Market.

The project will primarily have elements such as theatre plaza, retail and malls, nature plaza, landscape, town plaza, art plaza, experience plaza and children's plaza. 'This will also have food courts, service apartments, along with dedicated pedestrian and cycling paths, in the first phase,' said Bhubaneswar Development Authority additional commissioner Bhabani Shankar Chayani.

Last month, the state government had entered into a fresh agreement with the East Coast Railway to develop the new station building, which will be a part of the multi-modal hub. The public works department will construct the building. 'We had revised the agreement to ensure timely completion of the project. We have also hired the consultant, who will submit the final design for the project in the next two months. Some initial works such as road construction at the station are under way, while from January, some major works will be taken up,' said the authority's vice-chairman Krishan Kumar.

According to the new pact, the four-storey station building will have a built-up area of about 1.73 lakh sqft.

To develop the new building, the railway authorities have already shifted the passenger reservation ticket counter to a nearby site, and in the next phase, the two-wheeler parking facility will be demolished.

'We are steadily shifting the facilities to develop new ones in its place. We are ensuring that passengers do not have any problem during the project work,' said a railway official.

At present, the station area faces congestion with fewer facilities for parking for four-wheelers, proper road and other basic infrastructure. 'Parking is a major problem at the station. The lack of proper pick-up or drop-off facilities adds to passengers' woes,' said Jatni resident Piyush Mohanty, a passenger here.

In December 2016, the state government had created a separate special purpose vehicle to implement the multi-modal hub. 'The project of the smart city is one of the most costliest and biggest one. It needs special planning and roadmap,' said an official of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited.