The Comprehensive Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has begun the process of appointing private agencies to manage fare collection and ticketing on 400 Ama Buses planned under the Centre-sponsored PM e-Bus Sewa scheme across five Odisha cities.
According to a tender document issued by CRUT, the selected agencies will deploy conductors, collect passenger fares, manage daily revenue transactions and oversee ticketing operations on the buses. The vehicles are planned for operation in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur.
The proposed arrangement would replace the current system, under which CRUT directly hires manpower for fare collection. The private agencies would be responsible for recruiting, training and supervising conductors, as well as ensuring that adequate personnel are available to prevent disruption of bus services.
The contract will run for three years, with a provision for extension based on operational requirements and performance, a senior CRUT official said. The transport agency has also reserved the right to modify the number of buses covered by the arrangement depending on future service expansion.
The tender places daily revenue management at the centre of the proposed operating model. Agencies will have to maintain records of transactions and ensure that ticketing operations run smoothly across the expanding bus network. The arrangement is intended to strengthen accountability while creating a dedicated system for collecting and managing passenger revenue.
CRUT currently operates Ama Bus services in several urban centres of Odisha and is expanding its network through various public transport initiatives. The new buses under PM e-Bus Sewa will add to the scale of operations in cities that already depend on bus services for daily commuting.
The move also comes against the backdrop of financial pressure on the agency. Sources cited in the report said CRUT, a non-profit government organisation, has incurred substantial revenue losses while operating Ama Bus services over the past several years. The proposed fare collection contract is expected to help the agency augment revenue and direct more resources towards passenger facilities.
The tender does not specify in the supplied material how the proposed agencies will be paid or what performance indicators will determine any contract extension. It does establish, however, that CRUT will retain the ability to adjust the number of buses covered as the service expands. The appointment process and subsequent deployment of conductors will determine when the new fare collection system becomes operational.
