THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 11, 2026

Odisha’s Housing & Urban Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee on Tuesday directed the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) to undertake concerted and time-bound measures to further improve the safety, reliability and service quality of Ama Bus operations, with a sharp focus on commuter satisfaction and prompt resolution of operational gaps.

Chairing a review meeting on the functioning of CRUT at Kharavela Bhawan here, Padhee asked officials to institutionalise continuous monitoring of routes, schedules, fleet utilisation, safety indicators, passenger grievances and crew performance, stressing that accountability at every level and timely corrective action would be critical to sustaining public confidence in the state's urban public transport system.

The review assumes significance as CRUT currently operates a fleet of 770 buses across seven cities, including 390 electric buses, on 138 routes, carrying around 3.5 lakh passengers every day. The organisation is also preparing to expand its public transport footprint to more cities amid growing demand for affordable, reliable and technology-enabled urban mobility.

Padhee emphasised that technology and infrastructure should ultimately translate into a better experience for commuters and directed the officials to closely monitor service delivery so that the Ama Bus system evolves into a safer, more efficient, reliable and citizen-centric public transport network.

The meeting reviewed CRUT's overall operational performance, including fleet and route operations, road safety, passenger services, crew management, digital systems, financial sustainability, infrastructure and future expansion plans.

Road safety and crew performance received particular attention during the review, with CRUT reporting a 52 per cent reduction in accidents compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.

To strengthen road safety, CRUT has introduced enhanced driver training, mandatory alcohol testing, speed monitoring, regular safety training and KPI-based assessment of crew members. The five-day SuVahak training programme has also been strengthened with dedicated modules for electric-bus operations.

The organisation is further working towards introducing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Driver Fatigue Monitoring Systems in its existing fleet, aimed at strengthening preventive safety measures and improving driver alertness and road discipline.

Workforce strengthening and employee welfare were also examined during the review. CRUT has expanded refresher training, introduced specialised training for electric-bus operations, undertaken psychometric evaluations and health interventions, and linked crew performance to defined key performance indicators.

The presentation made at the meeting indicated that the entire crew has been certified through the SuVahak training programme, while 118 crew members have received performance-linked recognition.

Technology-driven governance has emerged as a key component of CRUT's operational strategy. The organisation is using Intelligent Transport Management Systems, GPS-based vehicle tracking, Command and Control Centre monitoring, CCTV, passenger information systems and operational dashboards to improve oversight and service delivery.

The review also covered digital ticketing, live bus tracking, estimated time of arrival information and passenger feedback mechanisms, with Padhee stressing the need to ensure that these technology-enabled services provide tangible benefits to commuters.

CRUT is also strengthening last-mile connectivity through Sarathi services and electric feeder-bus operations. The feeder service pilot is currently recording average daily ridership of around 4,000 commuters, indicating growing demand for convenient connections to the main public transport network.

The organisation is promoting wider adoption of digital and integrated ticketing solutions, including the National Common Mobility Card, with the objective of providing commuters greater convenience and enabling seamless access across public transport services.

The meeting also examined CRUT's financial sustainability and institutional strengthening measures. Despite affordable fares and the public service obligations associated with urban bus operations, the organisation's cost recovery has improved to around 65 per cent.

Future measures under consideration include organisational restructuring, automated vendor and billing management, asset monetisation, AI-enabled scheduling and phased expansion of services, aimed at improving operational efficiency and strengthening the financial sustainability of the public transport system.

CRUT is working towards expanding its network to more cities by increasing fleet strength, widening route coverage and improving access to reliable public transport. The expansion strategy is aimed at meeting the growing mobility requirements of citizens while strengthening the wider urban public transport ecosystem.

To improve last-mile connectivity further, CRUT is exploring Public-Private Partnership models and other collaborative approaches for introducing and expanding feeder and allied mobility services. PPP-based interventions are also being examined for improving service coverage, operational efficiency and commuter convenience.

Padhee directed the concerned officials to ensure effective follow-up of all decisions taken during the review and implement the necessary measures within defined timelines.

She further stressed that regular assessment of commuter feedback, prompt resolution of operational issues and continuous performance monitoring must remain integral to CRUT's functioning, so that the Ama Bus service continues to evolve as a safe, efficient, technology-enabled and citizen-centric urban transport system.

Managing Director, CRUT, Md. Sadique Alam, Additional Secretary-cum-General Manager Sahadev Samadhia, Joint Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Mamatarani Naik, Financial Advisor, CRUT, OSD, CRUT, Manager (Operations) and other senior officers concerned attended the meeting.