Bhubaneswar, Oct 26: Odisha’s push towards inclusive urban mobility is gaining momentum, with women increasingly stepping into roles traditionally dominated by men. The meeting between Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, and Subhalaxmi Mahananda, the state’s first woman electric-bus driver from Keonjhar district, has emerged as a powerful symbol of this transformation.
Representational Image
Their interaction reflects how institutional support, professional training and individual determination can help women break barriers and pursue new career opportunities. Subhalaxmi’s journey from Keonjhar to the driver’s seat of an electric Ama Bus offers an inspiring example for young women aspiring to enter unconventional professions.
The meeting came during the 19th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference and Exhibition and the second National Urban Conclave (NUC), held in Bhubaneswar from October 23 to 25, 2026. Hosted in eastern India for the first time, the events placed Odisha’s initiatives in sustainable transport, urban accessibility and inclusive development in the national spotlight.
Subhalaxmi’s Journey Challenges Traditional Barriers
For Subhalaxmi, driving an electric public transport bus represents more than a professional achievement. Her role challenges conventional perceptions about women working in the transport sector and demonstrates their ability to take on responsibilities essential to urban life.
Every journey she makes behind the wheel sends a message that women can contribute to public transport operations, strengthen essential services and build independent careers.
Her achievement also highlights the importance of creating opportunities that allow women to translate their skills and ambitions into sustainable livelihoods.
Training and Institutional Support Open New Opportunities
The transformation is being supported by coordinated efforts involving the Commerce and Transport Department, the Transport Commissioner and Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT).
CRUT has been working to expand women’s participation across the public transport network, including through advanced electric-bus training for 20 women who hold Heavy Motor Vehicle licences.
Women are increasingly contributing as drivers, conductors and feeder-service personnel, helping make public transport more inclusive while demonstrating their professional capabilities to commuters.
The initiatives underline the role of skill development, training and institutional support in enabling more women to enter the transport workforce.
AMA SuVahak Aims to Promote Women-Led Enterprises
Beyond employment opportunities, Odisha’s Atmanirbhar MAhila SuVahak (AMA SuVahak) initiative aims to encourage women to establish their own transport businesses.
The programme envisages the creation of 2,450 women-led transport enterprises across the state. According to the supplied report, eligible women can access interest-free loans of up to ₹10 lakh for vehicle purchases, along with an additional incentive of ₹2 lakh for electric vehicles.
The initiative also provides for free driving and entrepreneurship training, licensing assistance and priority support for eligible women, including members of Self-Help Groups. Integration with ride-hailing platforms is intended to help connect vehicle ownership and professional skills with income-generating opportunities.
By combining financial assistance with training and market access, the programme seeks to create pathways towards greater economic independence for women.
Odisha Expands Its Public Transport Network
The growth in women’s participation is taking place alongside the expansion of Odisha’s public transport services.
According to the report, CRUT has grown from a single-city operation to a network of 770 buses operating across 138 routes. Electric buses account for 51 per cent of its fleet, while nearly 48 per cent of ticketing transactions are cashless.
These developments reflect the increasing role of electric mobility and digital services in the state’s urban transport system.
At UMI 2026, the CRUT pavilion showcased initiatives related to Ama Bus services, electric mobility, Odisha Yatri, intelligent transport management, digital ticketing, passenger safety and accessibility. CRUT also contributed to the planning and execution of the conference, presenting Odisha’s transport experience to a national audience.
UMI 2026 Focuses on Accessible and Liveable Cities
Held under the theme “Urban Accessibility and Liveability in the Digital Age,” the conference explored how transport systems can connect people with opportunities while making cities more accessible, sustainable and inclusive.
Alongside the National Urban Conclave, the event reinforced the importance of placing people at the centre of urban planning and building transport networks that serve diverse communities.
Subhalaxmi’s journey offered a human perspective on these broader policy ambitions. Her achievement illustrates how the combination of opportunity, training and personal determination can translate development goals into real-life change.
As Odisha continues to expand its mobility initiatives, the growing participation of women in transport is opening new professional possibilities. For young girls who see women taking the wheel of public buses, careers once considered out of reach may increasingly become achievable aspirations.
Leave a Reply