Bhubaneswar: To provide improved bus services in the state, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved a proposal to extend the ‘Mo Bus’ service to nine towns in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Ganjam districts of Odisha. As per the decision, the Mo Bus service will be extended to Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Brajarajnagar-Belpahar cluster and Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur-Hinjilicut-Digapahandi cluster.
The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department Thursday issued a notification in this regard.
Sagarika Patnaik special secretary of Housing and Urban Development said government of Odisha remains committed to enhancing the public transportation system and meeting the evolving needs of its citizens. The expansion of Mo Bus services to Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Ganjam is a significant step towards achieving this goal. The government feels that this expansion will not only improve the quality of life for the residents but also contribute to the overall development and progress of the region.
This extension of Mo Bus service will benefit 11,61,000 urban population in the three districts, sources said.
“Mo Bus” services which was introduced in the Capital Region November 6, 2018 under the SPV Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), has covered the districts Khurda, Cuttack and Puri with a ridership of 2.3 lakh per day with 390 buses. In this past four and a half years, Mo Bus service in Odisha has drastically eased the daily commuting needs of the citizens and for many, Mo Bus has become the most preferred mode of transportation. Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) got Area Based permit for plying of city bus services in Bhubaneswar Urban Transport Area, Cuttack Urban Transport Area and Puri Urban Transport Area.
After becoming the mobility life line for the people of Capital Region of Odisha, in view of the overwhelming love and the support of public, Mo Bus services was extended to Rourkela-Biramitrapur-Rajgangpur Master Plan area in the district of Sundargarh during the World Cup Hockey in January 2023 with 100 buses and a ridership of 27,000.
PNN