Sambalpur, March 6: Residents, who are eagerly waiting for a modern bus terminus at Ainthapali here, will have to wait further as its completion will take around two more months.

The terminus, which is coming up beside the National Highway 6, was initially given a September 2014 deadline. However, slow pace of work has delayed the project.

"Work on the project is going on in full swing. It will take around two more months to complete," Sambalpur collector Balwant Singh said today. Singh also said that they had already floated a request for proposal, inviting private firms to operate and maintain the terminus.

The work on the project began after a private bus stand, which operated on the 5.28 acres, was shifted to a new location on a temporary basis in January 2014.

The private bus stand had been operating on the land since 1998. However, the bus stand did not have basic amenities. Commuters had been demanding a modern terminus in the city for a long time. Finally, the district administration initiated steps to upgrade the terminus on that land with modern facilities and gave Bhusan Power and Steel Limited the responsibility to develop it.

The modern terminus will have parking facilities for buses and autorickshaws, a booking counter, an administrative building, food courts, solar light arrangements and many other amenities.

Of the 21,375sqm area, 6412.20sqm will be reserved for buses and 1099.31sqm for parking of autorickshaws and taxis. The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 13 crore.

"Sambalpur needs a modern bus terminus with basic amenities. Thousands of commuters depend on the bus stand every day, while hundred of buses also pass through the city. The authorities concerned should complete the work at the earliest," said Balakrishna Gartia, a daily commuter.