To ensure the safety of women in public transport in urban areas in the state, Principal Secretary Urban Development Neeraj Mandloi has issued a letter directing the urban bodies to ensure arrangements.

He has given instructions that this system should be launched in the urban bodtes soon.

Indore Municipal Corporation has started operating 2 pink buses on an experimental basis.

16 municipal corporations in the state, municipal councils in Bhind, Guna, Shivpuri and Vidisha have been asked to make arrangements for pink buses.

About 13 thousand city buses are being operated in the state under AMRUT Yojana and JNNURM.

This system will available in pink buses

There will only be women bus drivers and conductors in pink buses. Only women passengers will be able to travel in pink buses.

Dress code will be mandatory for women drivers and conductors. It has also been told to make arrangements for license and training for women drivers.

It has also been asked to monitor pink buses in cities of Smart City through the command centre.

Urban bodies have been asked to arrange for pink buses in those areas where there is more traffic of women in educational and business sectors. Besides, it has been told to ensure arrangements for digital payment along with ticket facility for women passengers in pink buses.

In the urban areas of the state where the facility of live location of buses is being provided through mobile app, it has been asked to ensure this facility in pink buses also.

Seats should be reserved for senior citizens and physically challenged passengers in buses.

GPS and panic buttons will have to be installed in all pink buses for the safety of women.

Operation of pink buses in urban areas will boost the confidence of women passengers in city buses and they will be able to travel fearlessly.

In a related development of the local bodies, as many as 407 bodies of the Urban Development Department have got permission to withdraw an amount of Rs 99 crore 79 lakh from the treasury under registration and stamp duty.

This permission has been granted by the Finance Department.

Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya had held a discussion with officials of the Finance Department regarding the financial problems of the local bodies.

Commissioner, Urban Development and Housing Department, Bharat Yadav said that the concerned bodies will be able to do all necessary work along with basic facilities with the amount to be withdrawn.

An amount of Rs 197 crore 90 lakh has been allocated for the bodies under registration and stamp duty.