Orissa High Court Slams Mo Bus Over Safety Concerns, Orders Breathalyzer Tests, Reforms

The court demanded answers on the increasing accident numbers and insisted on proactive field inspections by Mo Bus management to ensure public safety.

Cuttack:Expressing deep concern over the increasing accidents linked to the Mo Bus network in the Twin City, the Orissa High Court has issued a stern reprimand to the MD of the public transport service run by the state government. With accident numbers on the rise, the court demanded answers from Mo Bus management on compensation for victims and the accountability of drivers and conductors, calling the safety record of the service 'reprehensible.'

During the hearing, the court inquired about the number of people injured due to Mo Bus in recent years. The MD Dr. N. Thirumala Naikrevealed that 197 people were injured in 2022, a number that rose to 282 in 2023 and surged to over 2,000 in 2024. The MD reported that disciplinary action had been taken against 12 drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol, yet the court questioned why accidents continued to increase despite these measures.

Highlighting serious safety lapses, the court noted that last week, two people lost their lives in separate accidents in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. The court also expressed disappointment that no compensation had been paid to the families of the deceased and raised concerns that such incidents created a sense of fear among the public when encountering Mo Bus on the road.

The MD also informed the court that the service operates 94 buses on 21 routes in Cuttack and added that bus speeds are restricted to 40 km per hour. However, the court countered by stating that mere speed limits were not enough, insisting that Mo Bus officials leave their air-conditioned offices to conduct regular on-ground inspections. The court urged the MD to engage directly with bus drivers, monitor their conduct, and personally assess the safety conditions on the road.

Expressing exasperation, the court pointed to an incident where a judge narrowly avoided an accident involving a Mo Bus, and criticized bus drivers for carelessly stopping on the road to purchase snacks, disrupting traffic flow and endangering public safety.

To improve safety, the court issued several key directives to Mo Bus management, including the introduction of smaller buses for city routes to enhance maneuverability and safety. Additionally, it ordered that breathalyzer tests be conducted daily on all Mo Bus drivers, starting Friday, to ensure that drivers are not operating under the influence of alcohol.

A breathalyzer test, also known as a breath alcohol test, measures the amount of alcohol in a person's breath to estimate their blood alcohol content (BAC). Breathalyzers are commonly used by law enforcement to determine if someone is driving under the influence of alcohol.

These actions, the court stated, are crucial steps towards rebuilding public confidence in the Mo Bus service and ensuring that safety becomes a priority rather than an afterthought for the transport department.

The Mo Bus service is a public transport system in Odisha operated by the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT). The service was inaugurated by the former Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, on November 6, 2018. It operates in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, and Berhampur. The Mo Bus fleet includes electric buses (E-Buses) to promote green mobility.