Odisha Brings Back All-Women Bus Service On Working Women's Request

The commerce and transport department asked the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) to resume the all-women bus service between the cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

The move came working women raised the idea of the service between the two cities. In a letter to the OSRTC general manager, the under-secretary of the transport department, Anil Kumar Paija was asked to revive the all-women bus service operation.

Suggested Reading: This Kerala Woman Passionate About Driving Gives Free Bus Service

All-Women Bus Service

The state had earlier introduced the all-women bus service in 2013 after the Nirbhaya case in New Delhi. The move was aimed at providing safety to working women and students. However, the bus service was called off by the OSRTC.

After the all-women bus service was called off, several women representatives reached out to the chief minister's grievance cell with the pleas to resume the service. In one of the pleas, Sasmita Behera, a working woman, requested the transport commissioner to re-introduce the service as working women and students faced inconvenience after the service abruptly stopped.

The transport department issued an order asking the OSRTC to resume the all-women bus service. A transport department official said, "OSRTC has been asked to resume the service on priority basis".

Similar Case

Two years ago, Assam launched the free 'pink bus' service for women and elderly people. The free transport service is exclusively for women and senior citizens of Guwahati to travel within the city.

On January 9, 2021, 25 pink buses were inaugurated and the buses ply on some of the busiest routes of Guwahati.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, "Transport services must be made accessible to all sections of the populace irrespective of gender."

Sonowal added that safe transport services are a basic right "especially for women and senior citizens".

Similarly in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) announced that they would launch a dedicated bus service for women in November 2021.

Out of the 70 designated routes, 10 of the routes will be "ladies special" and only women passengers will be able to travel in those buses.