Women drivers set to take wheel of ‘Ama Bus’ service in Bhubaneswar

Women will soon take the wheel of the Ama Bus service as part of a new initiative to promote women’s participation in public transport. As a first step, 20 women drivers will be leaving for Pune on Saturday to undergo specialised training in operating electric buses.

The group is scheduled to depart on a flight at 5:30 pm. Flight tickets for all 20 women drivers were handed over flight tickets by Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra and Transport department Secretary Usha Padhee, marking official support for the programme.

The initiative is aimed at equipping women drivers with advanced skills to operate electric buses safely and efficiently before they begin service in Bhubaneswar.

Advanced EV Bus Training in Pune

The women drivers will undergo a 14-day advanced training programme in Pune focused on electric bus operations. As part of the training, they will gain hands-on experience driving EV buses in Pune’s traffic conditions. The team is expected to return to Bhubaneswar on February 17.

Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Urban Development Minister said, “Women symbolise patience and calm, qualities that are essential for driving buses. Everyone has witnessed the courage and valour shown by women during Operation Sindoor. Now, women have stepped forward to undergo a 14-day training programme in Pune. I am confident they will complete the training with sincerity and, upon their return, will be entrusted with operating EV buses.”

He further added that the government and the Chief Minister are also planning to launch the Subhadra bus service. 

Transport Department Secretary Usha Padhee said that women constitute 50 per cent of the population and that the objective is to bring them into the workforce by creating an enabling system. She added that in the transport sector, women would not only participate but also lead, and that their bus training was already part of the programme.

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Initially, the trained drivers will operate small or mini EV buses under the Ama Bus service. They will first drive 9-metre buses with a seating capacity of 12 passengers. After three months of experience, they will be assigned larger buses with up to 30 seats.

Subhadra Bus Service for Women Passengers

Dolly Nayak, women bus driver said, “We will operate the EV buses and will give our best to succeed in this initiative. We will be driving these buses exclusively in Odisha.”

Alongside this, the state government is preparing to launch the Subhadra Bus service in Bhubaneswar exclusively for women passengers. These buses will also be driven by women drivers, with special emphasis on ensuring women’s safety.