BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday stressed strengthening of city public transport system and timely service to beat pollution and ease traffic. Addressing the first-anniversary function of Mo Bus service organised by Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), Naveen said, “Population and traffic are on the rise in the Capital due to its continuous expansion. This is also leading to a rise in pollution. Though we are in a better position in comparison to other states, we have to plan from today and strengthen our public transport system.”
Terming Mo Bus a model, he urged CRUT to ensure punctuality in service and safety for citizens and make it the best urban transport service compared to the ones in metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. Earlier, the CM also took a ride in Mo Bus from Biju Patnaik Airport Square to Jayadev Bhawan along with the citizens. Housing and Urban Development Minister Pratap Jena said Mo Bus service which provides service to 85,000 passengers on a daily basis and 1 lakh passengers on special occasions will improve its service further.
He said 50 electric buses (E-buses) will be added to the Mo Bus fleet in the Capital region shortly to give a push to clean mobility in public transportation. Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) Chairman Subroto Bagchi highlighted the steps taken by OSDA under Skilled in Odisha banner to train the Mo Bus staff. Housing and Urban Development Secretary G Mathivathanan also spoke during the occasion and urged all to use the technology-driven smart service.
CRUT Managing Director Arun Bothra said reaching one lakh ridership in a short span of time is a big achievement.“Credit for this milestone goes to the riders who have trusted us from the beginning of service and gave us constant feedback for improvement,” Bothra said.
Naveen also unveiled mascot MOBBY (Mo Bus for Better You). Officials of CRUT, responsible for managing public transport in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri, said the mascot was chosen after a contest was organised on social media in October.