Women travelling on Ama Bus services in Odisha have received a special public transport benefit on Raksha Bandhan. The Comprehensive Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has announced free travel for women passengers on all Ama Buses operating in seven cities on August 27.
The facility covers Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Keonjhar. The initiative is being offered for the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, giving women commuters an opportunity to use Ama Bus services without paying the regular fare.
Raksha Bandhan free travel across seven cities
According to information released ahead of the festival, the fare-free facility is available across all Ama Bus services operating in the seven cities covered by the initiative. CRUT expects the move to benefit more than one lakh women passengers during the day.
The participating cities are:
- Bhubaneswar
- Cuttack
- Puri
- Rourkela
- Sambalpur
- Berhampur
- Keonjhar
The initiative is aimed at making public transportation more accessible for women while providing safe and convenient mobility during the festival.
For women passengers, the announcement also provides a practical benefit for those travelling for family, social or other personal activities on Raksha Bandhan.
Zero Ticket still required for women passengers
Although the journey is free, women passengers using the facility will still have to obtain a Zero Ticket while travelling. The requirement allows the fare-free journey to be recorded without charging the passenger.
CRUT has also asked passengers to cooperate with bus staff and follow proper passenger etiquette to help ensure smooth and comfortable journeys throughout the day.
Focus on safe and accessible public transport
The Raksha Bandhan initiative comes as part of efforts to make public transport more accessible and convenient for women. Ama Bus services use facilities such as GPS-based tracking, CCTV surveillance, trained staff and passenger assistance systems to support safer and more reliable travel.
The initiative also connects the festival’s message of care and protection with women’s mobility. Instead of limiting that message to the traditional family setting, the fare-free travel facility provides a practical public service for women commuting across the cities covered by Ama Bus.
CRUT has invited women passengers to make use of the service during the festival while maintaining cooperation with staff and other commuters.
What women passengers should know
Women travelling on Ama Buses in the seven participating cities do not have to pay the fare on August 27. However, passengers should remember that a Zero Ticket is mandatory even though no fare is collected.
The free travel facility is available in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Keonjhar, covering all Ama Bus services operating in these cities.
The Raksha Bandhan initiative gives women commuters a fare-free travel option while reinforcing the importance of safe, convenient and dignified public transport. For passengers using Ama Bus services on the festival day, the arrangement can make travel easier and more affordable.
As Raksha Bandhan is observed across Odisha, the free Ama Bus facility offers a practical festival-day benefit to women commuters in the seven cities covered by the announcement.
