In order to curb road accidents caused by unruly parking of heavy vehicles and to monetise unused land parcels, the Odisha government has decided to set up truck terminals along the national and state highways. The terminals will have warehouses and cold storage facilities, a fuel bunk, restaurant, weighing bridge, loading and unloading area, dormitory, bathrooms, ATMs, health clinic and other facilities.

The Commerce and Transport Department has identified locations in Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Sundargarh and Nabarangpur for developing truck terminals on a priority basis. The sites will be developed as integrated truck terminals with commercial components in the form of office/commercial buildings, hotels and hospitality centres, malls and multiplexes and other such establishments on a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Additional Transport Commissioner (Road Safety) Lalmohan Sethi said the terminals will reduce accidents and fatalities due to on-road parking, make the most effective use of resources and provide the best facilities for parking heavy vehicles. The identified vacant land in the six locations has huge potential to be monetised. The facilities to come up will provide direct and indirect employment besides encouraging redevelopment of neighbourhoods and fostering economic growth, he said.

Meanwhile, the State Transport Authority (STA) has invited an expression of interest (EoI) for the construction, development and maintenance of truck terminals on PPP basis. Responses have been sought by December 2.

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