Bhubaneswar: Women commuters will be able to travel free of cost on all AMA Bus services across Odisha’s major cities on August 27 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, the Comprehensive Region Urban Transport (CRUT) said.
The special initiative is aimed at celebrating the festival while promoting safe, convenient and affordable mobility for women. Under the arrangement, women passengers will not be required to pay fares while travelling on AMA Bus services in Bhubaneswar, Kataka, Puri, Raurkela, Sambalpur, Brahmapur and Kendujhar.
CRUT expects the initiative to benefit nearly one lakh women commuters during the day.
Raksha Bandhan is traditionally associated with protection, care and mutual trust. Through the initiative, CRUT seeks to extend those values to the public transport system by enabling women to travel safely and comfortably without the burden of fares.
The move is also in line with the Odisha government’s broader focus on women’s empowerment and improved access to public services. It complements initiatives such as the Subhadra Scheme by facilitating easier mobility for women engaged in social, economic and family-related activities.
The fare-free travel initiative will be applicable throughout August 27 across the AMA Bus network operating in the seven cities.
