The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) conducted a transparent lottery on Thursday to allot 112 commercial shops at the newly developed Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bus Terminal (BSABT), Odisha’s largest transport hub.
The event took place at K7 Kalyan Mandap in Kalinga Vihar, under the supervision of BDA Secretary Manas Ranjan Padhi.
The beneficiaries were shortlisted based on a comprehensive survey conducted by the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), which previously managed the old Baramunda bus terminal. The lottery process was carried out in full public view, with participants drawing tokens from a glass box. Independent Observer Purandar Nanda, General Manager of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited, oversaw the proceedings to ensure fairness.
Senior BDA officials including Additional Commissioners Snigdharani Dhal, Bhabataran Sahu, and Manoj Kumar Swain, along with Joint Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Jena and Manager Itikanta Mohapatra, were present at the event.
The newly allotted shops come equipped with uninterrupted power supply, water connections, and 24/7 security. Beneficiaries will sign formal agreements with BDA before beginning operations. Vice-Chairman Dr. N. Thirumala Naik urged shop owners to maintain hygiene and offer passenger-friendly services.
Spread across 11 acres, BSABT handles over 1,500 buses and 20,000 passengers daily, serving both inter-state and intra-state routes. The terminal is poised to become a commercial and logistical landmark in Odisha.
