Bhubaneswar: Odisha government’s Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) covered the entire state, with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launching the affordable bus service in Balasore, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Nuapada and Boudh districts, Wednesday.
Flagging off LAccMI buses via videoconferencing from here, Patnaik said a fleet of 305 luxury buses will improve connectivity across 1,057 gram panchayats (GPs) of the five districts, benefitting over 73 lakh people of the region.
In Balasore, as many as 59 buses (48 non-AC and 11 AC) will operate across 315 GPs of the district and benefit more than 20 lakh people.
A fleet of 31 buses (26 non-AC and five AC) will enhance road communication across 123 GPs of Nuapada district, benefitting over six lakh citizens.
The affordable bus service will benefit over four lakh people of Boudh, with a fleet of 12 buses (10 non-AC and two AC) improving connectivity across 55 GPs of the district.
In Ganjam, which is famous for Tara Tarini temple, as many as 152 buses (130 non-AC and 22 AC) will ply across 433 GPs. This will improve tourist footfall and benefit over 35 lakh people of the district.
Similarly, as many as 51 luxury buses (42 non-AC and nine AC) will run across 131 GPs of Jagatsinghpur. The ambitious service will enhance road connectivity, benefitting over eight lakh people.
LAccMI bus service will connect people and strengthen social as well as economic life. It will take children to schools and colleges and connect farmers to markets. Women and students can travel in LAccMI buses for Rs 5 only, the CM said.
The affordable bus service was launched in Cuttack, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Subarnapur and Kandhamal districts February 19, 2024. Earlier, it was launched in Khurda, Puri, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Nayagarh February 16 and in Mayurbhanj, Bolangir, Bargarh, Keonjhar and Sundargarh February 12.
The ambitious initiative was first launched in tribal-dominated Malkangiri October 12, 2023. It was later extended to Gajapati (October 20), Kalahandi (November 1), Rayagada (November 25), Nabarangpur (November 30) and Koraput (December 14). Deogarh, Angul and Dhenkanal districts got the affordable bus service January 31.
PTI