Odisha H&UD Minister reviews CRUT operations
Bhubaneswar(By Abhishek Mohanty):
Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Minister, Housing & Urban Development Department and Public Enterprises, Government of Odisha, visited the head office of Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) in Bhubaneswar on Thursday to review ongoing activities and progress of urban mobility initiatives in the state.
The Minister conducted a comprehensive review of the initiatives taken by CRUT with a special focus on infrastructure development, expansion to eight new towns and digital initiatives.
Dr.N.Thirumala Naik, Managing Director, CRUT apprised the Minister on the progress of electric-depots construction at Naraj, Pokahriput, Chhend, Rourkela, Haldiapadar, Berhampur and Sambalpur. He also shared details about expansion plan to operate city bus services in Keonjhar, Baripada, Angul and Jharsuguda in the first phase.
During his visit, Dr.Mahapatra visited the Command Control Centre, where he observed real-time bus tracking, grievance redressal systems for Odisha Yatri and CRUT. He appreciated the integrated technology-based operations that enable enhanced commuter experiences and swift response to issues on the ground.
He emphasized the need to keep a strict check on ticketless travellers to prevent pilferage. To improve service delivery and boost workforce motivation, the Minister recommended the introduction of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) incentives for performing crew based on commuters’ feedback.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of compulsory refresher training for all HMV drivers of CRUT at the four Government HMV Driving Training institutes in the state.
Along with enhanced behavioural training modules at the Odisha Urban Academy, Bhubaneswar to ensure professional and courteous interactions with passengers.
The Minister also reviewed digitalization initiatives and emphasized to increase digital transactions across CRUT services with a target to reach 50% by end of this year. Several tech-forward interventions were discussed which includes expansion of Digital Pass systems to other operational cities, rollout of National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) for seamless travel, launch of ticket booking services via WhatsApp for enhanced accessibility, installation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in all buses for improved safety and operational efficiency, introduction of three hydrogen fuel cell buses, to be deployed under an MoU with GRIDCO and NTPC, marking a significant step toward green and sustainable urban transport
At present, CRUT operates a fleet of 560 Ama Buses (380 Diesel and 180 Electric Vehicles) across 106 routes in the Capital Region, Rourkela, Berhampur, and Sambalpur, offering accessible and reliable urban mobility to lakhs of daily commuters.
The Minister lauded CRUT’s ongoing efforts in transforming urban transportation in Odisha and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Vikshit Odisha vision, focused on building a smart, sustainable, and commuter-friendly public transport system across the state.
Among others, Sanjay Biswal, General Manager (O&M), CRUT; Sahadev Samadhia, General Manager (P&A), CRUT; and other senior officials were present during the review meeting.
