Thumbs up for bus service

Patna: The bus service between Kargil Chowk and Danapur has become popular among residents. Chief minister Nitish Kumar officially launched the service on May 3 and its service started the next day.

On the second day (May 5,) of the service, 7,000 people travelled through the 25 buses which were pressed into service against the target of 10,000. Residents praised the bus service especially the women, as 50 per cent seats are reserved for them.

Daily users and government employees are demanding monthly passes now. The transport department on the other hand said a few more facilities would be added to the service apart from starting more buses on two other routes in the coming days.

The Telegraph checked the ground report of the buses in which it was found that buses are following the rules as stated by the department and not stopping in the middle of the road to load and unload passengers.

The 32-seater buses of the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) are equipped with closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) and first-aid box. Even the route chart along with the tickets rates are displayed inside the buses.

Praising the bus service, Shiv Kumar, a resident of Ashok Rajpath who boarded the bus at Dakbungalow roundabout, said: “This bus service is good and the best part is that is not overcrowded the way most private city buses are. We are getting the proper tickets with electronic devices unlike the city buses which charge according to their wish.”

These buses start the journey from Kargil Chowk and stop at its designated stops – Udhgoy Bhavan, Doordarshan, Bata Mor, Dakbungalow, Patna Junction, GPO roundabout, R-Block, Income Tax, Patna Women’s College, Bihar Museum, Hartali Mor, Secretariat, Lalilt Bhavan, Patna Zoo, Shiekhpura Mor, IGIMS, Ashiana Mor, Jagdeo Path, Gola Road, RPS Mor, Saguna Mor and Danapur.

From Kargil Chowk to Danapur, it travels a distance of 18km and the minimum fare is Rs 5 and the maximum is Rs 16.

Another resident and housewife of Sabazibagh locality, Fatima Sheikh, said: “In other buses, the conductor does not ask the passenger sitting on the seat reserved for women to vacate the seat but here the conductor is taking the initiative which is a good sign. If such changes will take place, I think government transport would become the best medium of transportation.”

Transport secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said that by Monday, the buses will reach its target of 10,000 on a daily basis after more number of people come to know about the service.

“Demands are coming from students and government employees to start the monthly pass as they are daily travellers. We will take the decision later. We are observing and based on response we will start the bus service on two other routes. One would be from Kargil Chowk via Haj Bhavan to AIIMS and the second from Kargil Chowk to Patna City via Meethapur bus stand,” Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, the transport secretary told The Telegraph.

Courtesy: The Telegraph