Bhubaneswar, December 4: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday expressed deep grief over the death of one Bishnu Patra, an autorickshaw driver in a road mishap involving a Ama Bus near Rupali Square in Bhubaneswar yesterday. The Chief Minister announced Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased.

The Chief Minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of the girl student injured in the accident.

Expressing deep anguish over the frequent accidents involving the Ama Bus operated by the Capital Urban Region Transport (CRUT), the Chief Minister directed the Transport Department to take proactive measures like regular training for the drivers in coordination with the CRUT to ensure that such unfortunate incidents do not recur.

“During the training process, focus should be given not only to the drivers’ professional skills but also to their physical and mental health. A training module should be developed to foster a sensitive and empathetic attitude among the drivers,” said the Chief Minister.

Majhi directed regular fitness inspections of Ama Bus by the motor vehicle inspectors (MVIs) and formation of special squads by the Commerce and Transport Department to carry out bus fitness checks.

For the context, on Saturday, 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.

The auto-rickshaw driver, Bishnu Patro (62), of Binjharpur in Jajpur district, died on the spot. One passenger, Namita Pradhan (21), a student, sustained a fracture in her hand along with a minor head injury. The second passenger, Ramani Nayak, sustained minor scratches.

Meanwhile, the bus driver Sachitra Kumar Sahoo (55), has been booked under culpable homicide section (105) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita.