Bhubaneswar: In a hands-on initiative to enhance road safety, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur today travelled on an Ama Bus from Bhubaneswar to Cuttack, personally reviewing passenger safety and security measures.
The journey follows a tragic accident on January 3 at Rupali Square in Bhubaneswar, where a speeding ‘Ama Bus’ rammed into a stationary auto-rickshaw at a red signal, killing the driver, Bishnu Patra (62) from Jajpur district, on the spot. A woman passenger, student Namita Pradhan (21), sustained critical injuries, including a fracture and head trauma, while another passenger received minor injuries.
Locals protested by vandalising the involved bus and two others. Police arrested the bus driver under culpable homicide charges.
Later that evening, another Ama Bus struck a scooter at the same location, injuring the rider, though no serious harm was reported.
Taking serious note of the incidents and recurring accidents involving Ama Buses, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed the Transport Department to implement regular enforcement drives, driver training programmes, and vehicle fitness inspections. The CM announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased auto driver, in addition to Rs 2 lakh earlier declared by the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), which operates the Ama Bus service.
In response, special enforcement teams, including police officials, conducted checks at various locations in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Commissioner Thakur led inspections at key depots, such as Master Canteen, Gadakana, Hansapal, Patia, PMG, and Chandrasekharpur.
A five-member high-level committee has also been formed under Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary Usha Padhee, including Thakur and senior police and CRUT officials, to monitor operations, safety protocols, and service quality on a regular basis.
