Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards clean and modern urban mobility, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today flagged off 25 e-buses in Odisha’s Sambalpur city.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated a state-of-the-art bus terminal for the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) at Ainthapali in Sambalpur.

The CRUT will add 25 more e-buses to its fleet in Sambalpur by the end of this month. It will operate altogether 50 e-buses for the residents of the city, announced the Chief Minister, who also travelled in an e-bus after launching the service.

The state government had allocated a sum of Rs 238.14 crore for construction of the modern bus terminal and maintenance of buses for 10 years.

CM offered prayers at Maa Samaleswari temple

“The newly-launched buses are wheelchair-friendly. Besides, they have adequate features for passenger safety and comfort. The CRUT will also provide digital payment facility with special incentives for the passengers,” said the state government.     

Earlier on the day, the Chief Minister visited the Samaleswari temple in Sambalpur and offered prayers before the deity.

“I prayed for the development of Odisha and wellbeing of our people before Maa Samaleswari. We need her blessings to realize the dream of a developed Odisha,” said the Chief Minister.

Notably, the CRUT provides ‘Ama Bus’ services in select urban areas of the state including the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.