Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Arun Bothra, MD of the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) received the “Award of Excellence” from Kousal Kishore, Minister of State for Housing & Urban affairs ,Govt of India at the 16th Urban Mobility India Conference & Expo 2023 held in Manekshaw Centre, Delhi for Odisha, which has implemented the best urban transport practices.
This is the 5th consecutive award for CRUT as National recognition for running an efficient and sustainable urban transport ecosystem.
This prestigious award recognizes CRUT’s remarkable efforts in advancing the quality of urban transportation and promoting sustainable mobility.
The Award of Excellence has been presented in the “Running Trophy for the State/UT” category, which acknowledges the State or Union Territory that has executed the Best Urban Transport Project during the previous year. Recognition for the strategic initiatives undertaken towards reducing subsidies and boosting ridership growth, thereby contributing to a more efficient and effective urban transport system in its area of operation. The citation accompanying the award emphasized it’s significant role in transforming the urban transport landscape in India.
By adopting a comprehensive approach to revenue assurance, the organisation has substantially reduced its reliance on government subsidies, resulting in more efficient operations and the seamless daily transportation of over 2.5 lakh commuters. Through meticulous operational planning and scientific revenue assurance techniques, CRUT successfully decreased per ridership subsidies from Rs. 11.65 in FY 2019-20 to Rs. 5.57 in FY 2022-23.
With the support of the State Government of Odisha and adhering to the principles of 5T initiatives CRUT is committed to continually enhancing the urban commuting experience and prioritizing sustainable mobility solutions and this latest honour reaffirms its dedication to these goals.
The CRUT, a special purpose vehicle (SPV), formed under Housing and Urban Development Department of the Government of Odisha, operates a fleet of buses to and from the capital.