Bhubaneswar, May 31: In response to a series of fatal bus accidents, the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has announced a stringent overhaul of its driver recruitment and training policies. The move comes just days after a tragic incident at Khandagiri Square, where a pedestrian lost his life after being struck by a CRUT bus, sparking public outrage and vandalism of the vehicle.
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During a high-level meeting held on Friday, chaired by CRUT’s Operations Director N. Thirumala Naik, senior officials expressed deep concern over the rising number of accidents involving the city’s public transport buses. Over the past three months, more than five people have reportedly died in similar incidents.
To address the growing public dissatisfaction and ensure commuter safety, the agency has decided to reassess the driving skills of all existing drivers. A key resolution from the meeting includes a ban on the recruitment of drivers with less than five years of professional experience. Additionally, third-party agencies will no longer be permitted to appoint drivers arbitrarily.
The meeting also emphasized the need to intensify driver training programs and enforce stricter operational protocols across the transport network.
CRUT officials stated that the new measures aim to curb reckless driving and restore public trust in the city’s transportation system.
