Bhubaneswar, February 18: In a significant step towards promoting women-led urban mobility, the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) - the flagship public transport system of the Government of Odisha - has successfully completed the first phase of induction of women drivers for AMA Bus services.
As part of this initiative, as many as 20 women drivers holding valid Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) licences, returned to the State after undergoing advanced professional training in Pune, marking an important milestone in CRUT’s gender-inclusive public transport roadmap.
The 14-day advanced training programme was conducted at the OEM EKKA Mobility plant in Pune, from February 2 to 14 with sponsorship and technical support from GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit). The programme focused on EV bus handling, safety protocols, advanced driving practices, and modern city bus operations, equipping the participants with hands-on professional exposure.
Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee said that before formal induction, the trained drivers will undergo an additional 15-day local driving practice and route familiarisation programme in Odisha.
“Only after successful completion of this field practice and assessment, they will be inducted as a dedicated women crew to operate AMA Bus services,” said Padhee.
Padhee said, “This is not just about training women to drive buses. It is about enabling leadership, dignity and equal opportunity in public service. These women will inspire many others to step forward.”
This initiative reflects the Government of Odisha’s vision of building a safe, inclusive and future-ready urban mobility ecosystem, while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for women in the public transport sector.
