Madhya Pradesh Revives Public Bus Service on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Jayanti

Bhopal, September 25 (Daily Kiran) : Madhya Pradesh is set to relaunch its public bus service, marking a significant milestone after a 21-year hiatus. The initiative, named the “Chief Minister Accessible Transport Service,” will be inaugurated on the occasion of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s birth anniversary.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will flag off the service at 12:30 PM from Dashahara Maidan in the Govindpura (BHEL) area of Bhopal.

On Thursday evening, Yadav inspected the launch preparations at the event venue. This new service aims to establish direct bus connectivity between cities and villages across the state. He reviewed the stage setup, venue arrangements, and the new buses, gaining insights into their features and testing modern technology and passenger amenities.

Transport Secretary Manish Singh briefed Yadav about the program, which was also attended by Bhopal Municipal Commissioner Sankriti Jain and officials from relevant departments.

The state government stated that this revival is inspired by Upadhyay’s vision of Antyodaya, which seeks to provide affordable, safe, and accessible transportation to both urban and rural populations, particularly in remote areas.

The Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation was discontinued in the early 2000s, leading to a heavy reliance on private operators for public transportation.

The new initiative aims to reintroduce a regulated, technology-based, and sustainable public transport system under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. At launch, 351 intercity and intracity buses from seven cities will be inaugurated simultaneously. This includes 145 buses in Indore (50 intercity and 95 intracity), 106 in Bhopal (23 intercity and 83 intracity), 67 in Jabalpur (14 intercity and 53 intracity), and additional buses in Rewa, Dewas, Katni, and Bhind.

The government aims to operate 15,000 buses by 2031, with 1,500 buses in the first year, followed by the addition of 2,500 to 3,000 buses annually.

Safety features in the buses will include GPS, panic buttons, CCTV, and digital ticketing. To promote the PPP model, a transparent contracting system and incentive schemes will be implemented. Private operators will be allowed to enhance revenue through non-fare sources like advertising and cargo services, along with receiving full administrative support for smooth operations and modern depot and terminal facilities.