After official’s assurance, checks on buses to allow women as 1st passengers | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: The impact of TOI’s Citizen Reporter initiative was felt on Tuesday when state transport department officials went out on to the streets to ensure the discriminatory practice of not allowing women on buses as the first passenger is stopped.
The move comes just three days after transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur assured that the practice would be stopped. He was answering a question posed by rights activist Ghasiram Panda during the launch of TOI’s Citizen Reporter initiative, here on Saturday. Panda asked Thakur when the gender bias will end, following which the transport commissioner assured that bus operators will be instructed to end the practice of preventing women on buses as the first passenger and the move will be made mandatory.
Officials said that based on a direction from transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, a marathon inspection was conducted at Cuttack Netaji Bus Terminal on Tuesday. The govt has also decided to extend similar inspections and awareness campaigns across all bus terminals in the state.
State Transport Authority (STA) secretary Chinmayee Biswal and deputy transport commissioner Biranchi Narayan Adhikari visited the CNBT on Tuesday morning. The team monitored over 20 buses on different routes, closely observing the behaviour of staff towards women passengers. They interacted with several women passengers to understand their experiences regarding discrimination.
The transport department posted photographs of its inspection on the Citizen Reporter platform and wrote, “No bus staff shall discriminate against any passenger and disrespect towards women will not be tolerated.”
Thakur promised strict action against errant bus staff. “Women are revered as deities in our culture. Ensuring their dignity is not just STA’s responsibility but a duty of the society as a whole. No one should mistreat women. If such incidents come to our notice, strict legal action will be taken as per govt directives,” he said, while also stressing on the need for awareness initiatives alongside inspections.
The transport department also sent a strict circular stating that no bus staff shall discriminate against any passenger. It said it will ensure strict action against superstitions and discriminatory practices such as denying women to board buses as the first passenger. The department also said that awareness messages would be put up on buses so that the owners instruct the staff not to resort to discriminatory practices.
Pravat Kumar Panda, a bus driver, said, “We don’t disrespect women and all women passengers are accorded due dignity.”
According to the Motor Vehicles Act, any form of discrimination against passengers is a punishable offence. The regulations also include provisions for penalties and cancellation of permits.
Earlier, Panda had filed a petition with Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW) alleging that public buses, whether city or long-distance, don’t allow a woman as the first passenger because of certain myths. OSCW had directed the transport department to end the gender bias and allow women as the first passengers at the boarding point if a woman wants.
The move comes just three days after transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur assured that the practice would be stopped. He was answering a question posed by rights activist Ghasiram Panda during the launch of TOI’s Citizen Reporter initiative, here on Saturday. Panda asked Thakur when the gender bias will end, following which the transport commissioner assured that bus operators will be instructed to end the practice of preventing women on buses as the first passenger and the move will be made mandatory.
Officials said that based on a direction from transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, a marathon inspection was conducted at Cuttack Netaji Bus Terminal on Tuesday. The govt has also decided to extend similar inspections and awareness campaigns across all bus terminals in the state.
State Transport Authority (STA) secretary Chinmayee Biswal and deputy transport commissioner Biranchi Narayan Adhikari visited the CNBT on Tuesday morning. The team monitored over 20 buses on different routes, closely observing the behaviour of staff towards women passengers. They interacted with several women passengers to understand their experiences regarding discrimination.
The transport department posted photographs of its inspection on the Citizen Reporter platform and wrote, “No bus staff shall discriminate against any passenger and disrespect towards women will not be tolerated.”
Thakur promised strict action against errant bus staff. “Women are revered as deities in our culture. Ensuring their dignity is not just STA’s responsibility but a duty of the society as a whole. No one should mistreat women. If such incidents come to our notice, strict legal action will be taken as per govt directives,” he said, while also stressing on the need for awareness initiatives alongside inspections.
The transport department also sent a strict circular stating that no bus staff shall discriminate against any passenger. It said it will ensure strict action against superstitions and discriminatory practices such as denying women to board buses as the first passenger. The department also said that awareness messages would be put up on buses so that the owners instruct the staff not to resort to discriminatory practices.
Pravat Kumar Panda, a bus driver, said, “We don’t disrespect women and all women passengers are accorded due dignity.”
According to the Motor Vehicles Act, any form of discrimination against passengers is a punishable offence. The regulations also include provisions for penalties and cancellation of permits.
Earlier, Panda had filed a petition with Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW) alleging that public buses, whether city or long-distance, don’t allow a woman as the first passenger because of certain myths. OSCW had directed the transport department to end the gender bias and allow women as the first passengers at the boarding point if a woman wants.
