Raksha Bandhan 2026: Odisha offers free travel on Ama Buses for women
Odisha will offer women free travel on Ama Bus services on Raksha Bandhan. The move aims to improve safe, affordable and dignified public mobility across the state.
The Odisha government has announced free travel for women on state-run Ama Bus services for one day on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. An official said the move has been made following the direction of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and a proposal by Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra.
FREE TRAVEL ON AMA BUSES
The free travel facility will be available across all Ama Bus services operated by the Capital Region Urban Transport on the day. More than one lakh women passengers are expected to benefit from the initiative, which the government said is aimed at improving convenience and access to public transport for women.
CITIES COVERED UNDER THE SCHEME
The facility will be available on Ama Buses running in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Keonjhar. The Comprehensive Region Urban Transport has said women will be able to travel without paying any fare for the day.
WHAT THE MINISTER SAID
Mahapatra said, "The primary objective of this initiative is to ensure safe, convenient and affordable public transport for women. By promoting safe and inclusive public mobility, the initiative is expected to further strengthen women's social and economic mobility and enable them to travel with greater confidence and ease." He also said the initiative reflects the government's commitment to ensuring dignity, priority and greater convenience for women.
SAFETY MEASURES ON AMA BUSES
The official said Ama Bus services are being made safer and more reliable through measures such as GPS-based bus tracking, CCTV surveillance, trained bus staff and passenger assistance systems. CRUT Managing Director Siddik Alam said the initiative will further strengthen CRUT's commitment to providing women with safe, affordable and dignified mobility.
ZERO TICKET REQUIRED FOR FREE TRAVEL
Despite the free travel facility, women passengers will have to obtain a zero ticket. CRUT has also asked all passengers to cooperate with bus staff and maintain proper passenger etiquette to ensure smooth and comfortable travel for everyone. Overall, the one-day free travel measure is expected to benefit a large number of women passengers across Odisha's Ama Bus network on Raksha Bandhan.