Bhubaneswar: Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), which runs Mo Bus and Mo E-Ride services in Odisha, will be getting another international recognition on February 8. While Paris is the winner of ITDP’s Sustainable Transport Award (STA), Bhubaneswar in India along with the State of Jalisco, Mexico, finds honourary mention.
“Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha State in India, has been working to strengthen and modernize its public transport services with a focus on user experience, gender equity, and providing more connected mobility options. The city began working with private sector partners in 2018 to streamline the operation of its holistically designed city bus network system and integrate it with other essential transport services. This bus system is branded as “Mo Bus” and works to improve city bus service connectivity for people of the urban clusters where it operates in the State,” a CRUT release quoting STA, which honours cities globally that exemplify ground-breaking solutions in sustainable urban mobility, said.
“Following the pandemic, Bhubaneswar has also been focused on revitalizing its tourism industry and increasing transit ridership by evaluating user needs and responding to key health and environmental issues, such as air quality and pollution. The city has prioritized improvements to its transport infrastructure to make it more accessible, including notable expansions of its city bus service (Mo Bus including the introduction of E-Buses) and E-Rickshaw service (Mo E-Ride) that put a spotlight on safety, sustainability, and last-mile connectivity”.
Managing Director, CRUT, Vijay Amruta Kulange said getting such recognition is a matter of pride for the state. “We would continue doing the good work and bring in new initiatives with the support of our state government to enhance sustainable public transport system in the state,” he added.
General Manager CRUT Dipti Mahapatro said: “When efforts get recognition, it fills us with pride and makes us walk the extra mile to provide the best commuter experience.”
ITDP is a global organization, headquartered in New York at the forefront of innovation, using technical expertise, direct advocacy, and policy guidance to mitigate the impacts of climate change, improve air quality, and support prosperous, sustainable, and equitable cities. It has worked with over 100 cities in more than 40 nations to design and implement transport and urban development systems and policy solutions that make cities more viable, fair, and livable.
