State Reviews Mukhyamantri Bus Seva, Charts Next Phase of Reforms

Bhubaneswar: The State-Level Steering Committee on Mukhyamantri Bus Seva (MBS) met on Wednesday at Kharavel Bhawan to review ongoing reforms and chart the next phase of strengthening Odisha’s flagship public transport programme.

Chaired by Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, Commerce & Transport Department, the meeting assessed a range of policy and operational measures aimed at improving service efficiency, ensuring affordability and enhancing last-mile connectivity across both urban and rural areas of the State.

Key discussions focused on the engagement of Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under MBS, with SHG conductors playing a growing role in service delivery while supporting women-led livelihoods. The Committee also deliberated on ticket fare revisions and passenger concessions to strike a balance between affordability and financial sustainability, and reviewed the continuation of free bus travel for students, reaffirming the State government’s commitment to equitable access to education and mobility.

The Steering Committee examined the need to reorient institutional mechanisms to strengthen coordination, monitoring and accountability. It also discussed rationalisation of MBS routes to optimise coverage, reduce overlaps and improve operational efficiency, along with rationalisation of GCC rates for PPP operators to ensure operational viability while safeguarding public interest.

Emphasising the need for district-level inputs, Usha Padhee called for reorganisation of bus routes to improve connectivity to key public institutions such as schools, hospitals and other essential services. She also stressed further strengthening the involvement of Mission Shakti and Women SHGs in service delivery, noting that Mukhyamantri Bus Seva remains central to Odisha’s vision of accessible, safe and sustainable public transport.

The Committee reviewed the overall performance and future roadmap of MBS, highlighting the importance of building a reliable, inclusive and people-centric public transport system across the State.

The meeting was attended by Soumendra Priyadarshi, ADG, OPH & WC; Amitabh Thakur, Transport Commissioner; N.B.S. Rajput, CMD, OSRTC; Girish S.N., Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Mission Shakti Department; and Sanjay Biswal, General Manager, OSRTC, along with other senior officials.

The deliberations concluded with directions to expedite the identified reforms and ensure coordinated implementation at both State and field levels to further strengthen the reach and impact of Mukhyamantri Bus Seva across Odisha.