Bhubaneswar was just lately awarded the title of ‘Metropolis with the Greatest Public Transport System’ on the seventeenth City Mobility India (UMI) Convention in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This recognition celebrates town’s distinctive strategy to city mobility which extends far past merely increasing bus routes.
This yr’s UMI Convention targeted on ‘Standardisation and Optimisation of City Transport Options’. The convention explored visions for clear air cities, city freight, and options for small and medium cities in India. Among the many awards introduced, Kochi was recognised because the ‘Metropolis with the Most Sustainable Transport System’, whereas Srinagar received the ‘Metropolis with the Greatest Non-Motorised Transport System’.
This accolade marks the sixth time the Odisha authorities’s public transportation initiative, managed by the Capital Area City Transport (CRUT) company, has been recognised by the Centre for excellence in city mobility.
Sustainable, inclusive, and accessible transport
Established in 2018, CRUT serves because the spine of Bhubaneswar’s public transit system, with a mission to enhance mobility, cut back congestion, and prioritise sustainability. The affect is clear within the Mo Bus and Mo E-Experience providers, which have considerably modified how individuals transfer across the metropolis.
The Mo Bus system, comprising electrical and conventional buses, now spans 600 kilometres throughout 67 routes. The fleet serves over 1,00,000 passengers day by day — a outstanding 200% improve in ridership since its launch in 2018.
One of many standout options of Bhubaneswar’s public transport system, the Mo Bus or ‘my bus’ fleet, is the inclusion of electrical buses designed to scale back emissions and promote a cleaner atmosphere. By introducing electrical buses, Bhubaneswar is making vital strides in enhancing air high quality and lowering noise air pollution — efforts that align with international traits towards greener public transport techniques.
For example, Copenhagen has built-in electrical buses into its fleet as a part of its aim to scale back carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. Equally, Singapore’s inexperienced transport initiatives, which purpose to affect the whole bus fleet by 2040, echo an analogous dedication to sustainability.
Along with environmental advantages, the Mo Bus system prioritises security and inclusivity. Options like CCTV cameras, emergency panic buttons, and precedence seats for ladies and youngsters be sure that passengers really feel safe. The system can be designed to accommodate seniors and folks with disabilities, making it accessible to a various inhabitants.
Creating jobs and connecting communities
A big milestone in Bhubaneswar’s dedication to inclusivity got here with the introduction of Mo E-Experience in 2022. This eco-friendly e-rickshaw service connects individuals to bus stops, providing reasonably priced and secure last-mile connectivity. It’s notably helpful for aged passengers, ladies, and folks with disabilities, guaranteeing that the transport community serves everybody.
Moreover, the Mo E-Experience initiative actively recruits ladies, transgender people, and folks dwelling with HIV as drivers, creating employment alternatives whereas selling gender and social inclusivity within the transport sector.
In simply 18 months, 150 people from marginalised teams have been skilled and inducted into the programme. Immediately, 80 drivers, together with ladies, transgender people, and folks dwelling with HIV function the e-rickshaw community, offering important last-mile connectivity whereas creating financial alternatives.
A number of buses on the Mo Bus community additionally provide ‘Information on Wheels’ — free English and Odia newspapers for passengers. The initiative encourages a tradition of studying whereas holding travellers knowledgeable about present affairs and information.
The Mo Bus system has not solely revolutionised town’s mobility but in addition included sensible applied sciences to make journey simpler for everybody. A first-rate instance is the revamped Mo Bus app, which simplifies commuting by serving to customers find close by bus stops inside 500 metres, plan journeys, and observe buses in real-time, together with particulars like arrival instances and bus occupancy.
For added comfort, customers can buy digital tickets and cellular bus passes instantly by the app.
CRUT has additionally pioneered India’s first disaggregated ticketing system that collects passenger information by gender, age, and incapacity to allow extra knowledgeable decision-making. This technique identifies journey patterns — corresponding to peak journey instances, most well-liked modes of transport, and fashionable routes — permitting CRUT to tailor providers to raised meet the wants of girls and different demographics.
For example, the information can information changes to bus schedules, improve frequency on fashionable routes, or assign feminine conductors for added security, guaranteeing that public transport stays each responsive and inclusive.
Curiously, town can be house to the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bus Terminal (BSABT), connecting Odisha by each interstate and intrastate bus routes. With 44 bus bays, six metropolis service bays, and parking for 111 buses, it accommodates over 30,000 passengers day by day, making it a cornerstone of town’s transport infrastructure.
Supply: Sustainable Transport Award STA 2023 Highlight: Bhubaneswar, India: for Institute for Transportation and Improvement Coverage, Printed in September 2023
Edited by Khushi Arora