Bhubaneswar: Women will soon be inducted as drivers in Odisha’s AMA Bus service, following a decision taken during a review meeting chaired by Housing and Urban Development Minister Krishna Chandra Mohapatra on Tuesday.

As part of the initiative, 20 women candidates from the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) will be sent to Pune on January 31 for specialised training in electric bus driving.

The Minister also announced a dedicated driver training institute will be established at the CRUT depot premises. The institute will focus on practical driving skills, behavioural training, traffic regulations, lane discipline and road safety.

Mohapatra further directed officials to expedite the ongoing expansion of AMA Bus services in Baripada, Keonjhar and Angul to strengthen public transport connectivity in these regions.

During the meeting, it was revealed alcohol testing has been made mandatory for AMA bus drivers. Over the past one year, 1.97 lakh alcohol tests have been conducted through checks at the beginning and end of trips, as well as random inspections during operational hours.

Of these tests, 19 drivers were found positive for alcohol consumption. In accordance with legal provisions, the drivers were arrested by police and their driving licences were suspended for three months. The cancelled licences were subsequently forwarded to the respective Regional Transport Officers.

Senior officials present at the meeting included CRUT Managing Director Sanjay Biswal, General Manager Sahadeva Samadhiya, Special Duty Officer Pallavi Behera and other departmental officers.