Bhubaneswar, Jan 21 (PTI) In a bid to enhance road safety, the Odisha government has decided to induct women drivers to operate state-run ‘Ama’ buses, officials said.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Housing and Urban Development Minister Krishna Chandra Mahapatra here on Tuesday.
Highlighting the importance of women’s safety and gender-inclusive employment, the minister said special emphasis was being laid on the induction of women drivers in the Ama bus service.
He informed that 20 women candidates from the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), which operates the Ama bus service, will be sent to Pune on January 31 for specialised e-bus driving training.
The move comes in the wake of public outrage following the death of an autorickshaw driver in an accident involving an Ama bus at Rupali Square here on January 3.
Mahapatra also announced that a dedicated driver training institute will soon be established at the CRUT depot premises.
The institute will focus on practical driving skills, behavioural training, traffic regulations, lane discipline and road safety.
During the meeting, Mahapatra reviewed the operational framework of the Ama Bus Service and discussed a range of structural, safety, and service-improvement measures aimed at strengthening public transport across the state.
Emphasising passenger safety, he noted that alcohol consumption remains one of the major causes of road accidents. He informed that alcohol testing has been made mandatory for all Ama bus drivers.
“Over the last one year, 1.97 lakh alcohol tests have been conducted through checks at the beginning and end of trips, as well as random inspections during operational hours,” he said.
Out of these tests, 19 drivers were found drunk. In accordance with legal provisions, they were arrested and their driving licences were suspended for three months, he said. PTI BBM BBM MNB
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