The Government of Odisha, through Comprehensive Region Urban Transport (CRUT), will pilot Bus Priority Lanes on two high‑density corridors of Bhubaneswar.
The decision was taken at a high‑level meeting chaired by ACS Smt. Usha Padhee at Kharavela Bhawan.
The corridors identified are:
- Biju Patnaik International Airport–Nandankanan (18 km, 34 bus stops, 9,000–10,000 daily riders)
- Vani Vihar–Sishu Bhawan (5 km, 15 bus stops, 5,000–6,500 daily riders)
The initiative seeks to reduce congestion, improve bus reliability, and make efficient use of road space. CRUT estimates that mixed traffic currently causes a 16% trip loss (1,200–1,500 bus trips monthly). The pilot aims for a 10–20% reduction in travel time and 15–25% improvement in bus speeds.
The pilot will adopt flexible kerb‑side lanes rather than rigid segregation, supported by ITMS monitoring, ANPR CCTV cameras, and on‑ground enforcement. Training for bus crew, public awareness campaigns, and feeder route integration will be key components.
Performance will be assessed on travel‑time savings, service reliability, passenger experience, traffic impact, and enforcement effectiveness. Based on results, the model may be expanded to other corridors.
