Bhubaneswar: The public ire at the peak against reckless driving of Mo Bus as the bus once again claimed an innocent life today in Capital City.
A 12 year girl was killed after a Mo Bus crushed her near Raghunathpur village on the Patia-Nandankanan Zoo Road in Bhubaneswar this morning. The deceased was identified as Minati Juadi, a localite.
The girl was moving in a cycle when the state government-run Mo Bus hit her. Burning tires and putting barricades, the irate locals blocked the road for more than two hours and detained three Mo Buses halting the traffic from both sides on the main road to Nandankanan Zoo, the police said.
The local police rushed to the spot and started holding discussions with the protesting locals.
“We have detained the driver for causing the accident. The locals have blocked the road demanding compensation and construction of rumble strips so that vehicles can cross the junction carefully,” said ACP Ramesh Chandra Bishoi.
The local police will hold discussion on traffic police authority to regulate the city bus service in the locality, he informed.
After holding discussions with the Police and CRUT officials, the locals withdrew their road blockade.
Jayant Kumar, an official of Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) said they have arranged Rs 1 lakh compensation and would provide additional Rs 1 lakh to the deceased’s family.
The Mo Bus service, initially launched to provide safe and efficient public transport, has come under scanner as reckless driving, alleged negligence, and inadequate enforcement of traffic rules have led to tragic consequences.
Several reports highlight cases where speeding and poor road awareness have contributed to fatal accidents.
In some instances, passengers have fallen from moving buses due to overcrowding and driver mismanagement. Families of victims have raised demands for stricter measures, including better driver training and improved safety protocols, to prevent such avoidable tragedies in the future.
The most recent incident involving a Mo Bus occurred on January 23, 2025, near Raj Mahal Square, where two Mo Buses’ collided, injuring four individuals and damaging several vehicles.
In September, 2024, a man was killed after he was hit by a Mo Bus in Raghunathpur area under Nandankanan police station. In October last year, a 60-year-old woman was crushed to death under the wheels of a Mo Bus in front of her husband at Cuttack Netaji Bus Terminal.
In November last, two persons were severely injured after a speeding Mo bus hit them near Chandrasekharpur. The list is long.
Through once after another such incidents happening frequently, the CRUT authorities are in deep slumber and not taking any effective measures to stop such fatal accidents.
Several Private and OSRTC run buses are moving inside and outside Bhubaneswar. But, those vehicles never commit such accidents on regular intervals, feel senior citizens.