Bhubaneswar: An administrator working to open doors for women, and a woman with the courage to step through them. When Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, met Subhalaxmi Mahananda, Odisha’s first woman electric-bus driver from Keonjhar district, their meeting captured the human spirit behind the State’s mobility transformation.
More than a photograph, the moment symbolised the coming together of institutional commitment and individual courage. It reflected how opportunities created through policy and sustained support can inspire women to challenge conventions and pursue new career paths.
The meeting came as Odisha hosted the 19th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference and Exhibition and the 2nd National Urban Conclave (NUC) in Bhubaneswar from October 23 to 25, 2026. With UMI being held in Eastern India for the first time, the events highlighted Odisha’s vision of accessible transport, inclusive growth and liveable cities.
From Keonjhar to the driver’s seat of an electric Ama Bus, Subhalaxmi’s journey gives this vision a human face. For young girls who see her at the wheel, a career once considered unconventional can now become an achievable aspiration. Every journey she undertakes sends a message that women can lead and shape the essential services that keep cities moving.
This progress reflects institutional teamwork, with support from the Commerce & Transport Department, the Transport Commissioner and the Managing Director of CRUT. Their coordinated efforts across policy, training, livelihood opportunities and transport operations are helping create an enabling environment for women to enter the profession and build sustainable careers.
CRUT’s efforts to expand women’s participation include advanced electric-bus training for 20 women holding Heavy Motor Vehicle licences. Women working as drivers, conductors and feeder-service personnel are making public transport more inclusive while demonstrating their professional capabilities to thousands of commuters.
The wider ambition is reflected in Atmanirbhar MAhila SuVahak (AMA SuVahak), which envisages creating 2,450 women-led transport enterprises across Odisha. The initiative provides for interest-free loans of up to ₹10 lakh towards vehicle purchase, an additional incentive of ₹2 lakh for electric vehicles, and free driving and entrepreneurship training with licensing support. Priority assistance for Self-Help Group members and other eligible women, alongside integration with ride-hailing platforms, aims to connect skills and vehicle ownership with income-generating opportunities.
These opportunities are emerging alongside the expansion of Odisha’s public transport network. CRUT has grown from a single-city operation to a network of 770 buses across 138 routes, with electric buses accounting for 51 per cent of its fleet. Nearly 48 per cent of ticketing transactions are cashless, reflecting the increasing adoption of digital payments and passenger services.
At UMI 2026, the CRUT pavilion showcased this transformation through Ama Bus, electric mobility, Odisha Yatri, intelligent transport management, digital ticketing, safety and accessibility initiatives. CRUT also contributed to the planning, coordination and execution of the event, helping present Odisha’s mobility experience to a national audience.
Guided by the theme “Urban Accessibility and Liveability in the Digital Age,” UMI explored how transport systems can connect people with opportunities and make cities more inclusive, accessible and sustainable. Alongside NUC, it reinforced the vision of building future-ready cities that place people at the centre of urban development.
The meeting between Usha Padhee and Subhalaxmi brought this vision to life. Behind a woman taking the wheel lies an opportunity created, a skill nurtured, institutional support and the courage to take the first step. Her journey can inspire many more women to follow.
As Odisha moves forward, commitment is opening doors, courage is driving change, and a new generation of girls can begin to see themselves in the driver’s seat of the future.
