Cuttack: Orissa High Court today directed the district administration to maintain status quo of all the movable and immovable properties of the age-old shrine dedicated to Goddess Smashan Kali situated at Khan Nagar area under the jurisdiction of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) as the proposed ultra modern bus terminal, named after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has been earmarked there on the sprawling 12 acres of land.
The High Court gave this direction to the district administration while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a group of local residents.
In the wake of the foundation stone laid by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on January 23, birth anniversary day of Netaji as Cuttack city based Odia Bazaar is the great freedom fighter’s birthplace, the execution of work for the proposed bus terminal project is on full swing.
However, the location of Goddess Kali temple is claimed to be in the midst of the 12-acre proposed Netaji Bus Terminal project site. Even the spot is an ancient cremation ground as well as got a decades-old electric crematorium as well as an old public library named after another freedom fighter Viswanath Pandit.
Notably, the proposed ultra modern three-storied bus terminal will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 65 crore with all modern facilities for the passengers like waiting rooms, food court, cloakrooms, e-vehicle charging point, and parking spaces for cars, three and two-wheeler, etc. As many as 180 buses can be parked at the terminal at any time.
