Bhubaneswar: An incentive scheme for ‘Ama Bus’ bus captains (drivers) and guides (conductors) will be launched from January 26, with quarterly disbursements tied to evaluations of safe driving habits and overall performance.
Additionally, public engagement is set to increase from February, when citizens can submit suggestions and feedback on routes and services via social media platforms, fostering greater community input in planning.
These decisions were taken at a high-level meeting on ‘Ama Bus’ service, chaired by Principal Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, on Wednesday, which focussed on strengthening road safety, enhancing passenger convenience, and the overall skill development and welfare of drivers.
Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur, Managing Director of CRUT, which operates ‘Ama Bus’, Sanjay Biswal, and DCP from the Commissionerate Police, and the Traffic DCP were present.
The meeting highlighted positive initial results from strict monitoring efforts, with no speed violations recorded among AMA Bus vehicles during the first two weeks of January. It also discussed better accommodation and management at bus stops.
To strengthen driver training, e-buses will be provided to the Institute of Driving Training & Research (IDTR) for daily practical training on premises. “For this purpose, multi-charging infrastructure is planned at Chhatia, Berhampur, and Bonai (Sundargarh), which wil
l also provide charging facilities for private EVs and government vehicles. The public will be able to access four-wheeler EV charging facilities at these locations,” an official release said.
It further noted that the duration of the driver training programme has been extended from three days to five days, enabling more extensive heavy motor vehicle driving practice. “Enhanced focus will be placed on psychometric tests, inhibitors, lane discipline, and self-assessment. Additionally, simulators will be introduced in training schools for specialised e-bus driving training,” it further stated.
To promote both passenger safety and environmental goals, 30 older BPTSL buses exceeding 1.5 lakh kilometres will be scrapped. They will be replaced by smaller e-buses in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to strengthen last-mile connectivity.
The meeting also revealed that a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Padhee has been constituted to review AMA Bus operations every 15 days, ensuring continuous monitoring and improvement.
Recent Accidents Involving Ama Bus
On January 4, two separate ‘Ama Bus’ accidents at Rupali Square in the state capital killed one person and injured others, fuelling public anger over reckless public transport driving. While an Ama Bus (Route 32) rear-ended a stationary auto-rickshaw at the traffic signal, crushing it against another bus ahead, leading to the death of the auto driver, another Ama Bus (Route 82) struck a scooter, injuring the rider who luckily survived, at the same intersection later in the evening.
Similarly, 26 passengers had a narrow escape after an Ama Bus, heading from Bhubaneswar railway station to IGKC Hospital area in Ghatikia, went up in flames near Kalinga Studio square on January 10 morning. A day later, an e-bus of the ‘Ama Bus’ fleet caught fire at a depot in Patia area.