SAMBALPUR: Electric buses will soon begin operations in Sambalpur city with identification of 10 potential routes for the purpose.
According to the Regional Transport Office, proposals for the routes have been submitted to the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) for approval. The proposed routes include the existing ones of City railway station to Khetrajpur railway station, Ainthapali to Ghanteswari temple, Ainthapali to Burla and Ainthapali to Hirakud Dam.
The six new routes are Ainthapali to Maneswar, Ainthapali to Huma temple, Ainthapali to Dhanakauda, Ainthapali to Paramanpur, Ainthapali to VIMSAR and Remed. Plans are also afoot to extend the service up to Nuajamuda.
At least 25 electric buses allotted to Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) arrived in the city around a month ago and are currently stationed at Ainthapali bus stand where charging facilities have also been set up. However, delay in approval of the route permits has held up the commencement of services, leading to public complaints.
Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Ramdas Tudu said electric buses will operate within the city and the adjoining areas. “Earlier, 32 buses were plying on the four existing routes. Now, we have suggested new routes to the CRUT. These include frequent buses to VIMSAR, Burla and some popular tourist destinations besides a few educational institutions,” said Tudu.
Official sources said proposals for four additional routes for plying of diesel buses have also been submitted to the CRUT. These include Ainthapali to Jharsuguda new bus stand, Ainthapali to Bargarh, Ainthapali to Belpahar and Ainthapali to Kuchinda routes.
Notably, city bus services were first introduced in Sambalpur on January 29, 2014 under the Western Odisha Urban Transport Services, a joint venture with equity contributions from SMC (40 per cent), Sambalpur Development Authority (27 per cent), Bargarh municipality (16.5 per cent) and Jharsuguda municipality (16.5 per cent).
The services were managed through PPP mode with a private operator. In 2024, the Mo Bus service was launched under the CRUT framework.