Odisha Government Imposes Penalty for Denying Women as First Bus Passengers

Bhubaneswar: Odisha State Transport Commissioner has issued a crucial directive to Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) regarding the entry of women as the first passengers on buses. This move comes in response to a complaint filed with the Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW) by a social campaigner, Ghasiram Panda.

The complaint highlighted an incident where a woman was denied entry as the first passenger on a bus. The OSCW promptly wrote to the Transport Commissioner, urging immediate action to ensure women’s equal access to both government and private buses.

In response, the Transport Commissioner has taken the matter seriously and instructed RTOs to ensure that women are not prevented from boarding buses as the first passengers. The letter emphasizes that such actions by bus staff violate permit conditions and are punishable under Section 192A of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.

To enforce this directive, RTOs have been directed to conduct regular checks on state carriages and issue e-challans to bus owners or conductors who deny women the right to be the first passengers.