Bhubaneswar, January 4: A day after the tragic road accident involving an Ama Bus, the State Government on Sunday constituted a five-member high-level committee has been constituted to ensure stricter monitoring, improved operational discipline and enhanced safety of Ama Bus services.
In the wake of the tragic accident, a high-level review meeting on the safety, operation and management of Ama Bus services was held under the chairmanship of Housing and Urban Development Department on Sunday.
The meeting was convened hours after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed immediate measures to prevent such mishaps involving State-run buses.
Ama Bus is being managed by the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), Odisha’s public transit agency.
Senior officials present included Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur, Capital Urban Region Transport (CRUT) Managing Director Sanjaya Biswal, Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena, Traffic DCP, and other officers.
The five-member committee comprises the Transport Commissioner, DCP, Traffic DCP and a senior CRUT officer.
The committee will meet once every 15 days to review operational performance, safety measures and passenger services, and may convene meetings at any time, if required, to address urgent issues.
“Additional mini buses will be added to the Ama Bus fleet to improve operational efficiency and last-mile connectivity. Driver recruitment process will be further tightened. Newly recruited drivers will undergo vigorous training, and before induction, a mandatory five-day evaluation and testing process will be conducted to assess driving skills, road safety awareness, lane discipline and behavioural standards,” said Padhee.
A close watch on overall management will be maintained for the next one month to ensure strict compliance with safety and operational norms, she said.
Terming yesterday’s incident as “deeply unfortunate”, Padhee said that every possible step will be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
“An investigation into the incident is underway, and accountability will be fixed once the inquiry is completed,” she said.
To promote positive conduct, drivers and conductors demonstrating exemplary behaviour will be provided monthly incentives. It was also decided that the mechanical condition of all operational buses will be checked daily to ensure roadworthiness, she said.
It was revealed in the meeting that from February to December 2025, seven persons lost their lives and 97 others were injured in Ama Bus-related accidents. To strengthen traffic discipline, lane driving has been made compulsory for Ama Bus services. The Police and Traffic Police will monitor the movement of Ama Buses through the Smart City surveillance system.
For the context, an Ama Bus moving at a high speed rammed into an auto-rickshaw standing at Rupali Square, waiting for the signal to turn green. Under the impact, the auto-rickshaw was pushed forward and hit a school bus standing ahead killing the auto driver on the spot.
