Punjab and Telangana Delegates Impressed by Odisha’s Transport Initiatives

• Witnessed the Heavy motor Vehicle Driver Training Centre in Chhatia
• Planning to implement Odisha’s success strategies in their States

Bhubaneswar, (Kalinga Voice): A delegation from the transport departments of Punjab and Telangana spent two days in Odisha to explore various aspects of the state’s transport services and learn from senior officials of the Odisha Transport Department. They were highly impressed by the management of Odisha’s transport services and expressed their intent to implement similar strategies in their own states.

The delegates visited the Heavy Vehicle Driver Training Centre in Chhatia, Jajpur district, established through a public-private partnership. This centre offers free training to enhance the skills of heavy vehicle drivers. This model is not only unique to Odisha but also considered exemplary across the nation. They praised the modern facilities, the training equipment, and the arrangements for drivers’ skill development and personality enhancement. They interacted with the trainers and students to understand the comprehensive training setup. They also visited the Automated Vehicle Driving Testing Centre in Chandikhole, where they observed the use of professional skills to ensure transparency and reduce human intervention in the issuance of driving licenses. The delegation was accompanied by Joint Transport Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Mohanty, Chandikhole RTO Sambit Kumar, MVI Padmaja Mohanty, and Chhatia IDTR Principal Saddique Husein.

Later, the delegation visited the Command and Control Centre in Bhubaneswar. They were briefed on the successful implementation of the Intelligent Enforcement Management System (IEMS) and Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) in Odisha. A detailed report was presented to them. Additional Transport Commissioner Deepti Ranjan Patra coordinated the programme.

A meeting was held at the Bhubaneswar RTO-1 office in the presence of State Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur, where senior representatives from both States shared their views on Odisha’s transport services. They appreciated the Odisha Government’s visionary steps to reduce road accidents and expressed their desire to implement similar measures in their states. They also informed Odisha officials about some of their successful initiatives.