Bihar launches 155 special inter-state buses for Chhath Puja
Transport Minister Damodar Rawat flagged off the services to connect Bihar with neighbouring states for the festival season.
The Bihar state government launched 155 special inter-state buses on Thursday to assist migrant workers and passengers travelling for Chhath Puja, according to The Times of India.
Transport Minister Damodar Rawat flagged off the services from the Phulwarisharif bus depot. The buses will run from November 5 to 20, connecting Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Purnia, Darbhanga, and Bhagalpur divisions with Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jharkhand.
Of the 155 buses, the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) will operate 32 directly, while 123 will run under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The fleet consists of AC, non-AC, seater, and sleeper buses, with drinking water and curd provided to passengers.
Delhi will have 77 services, followed by Haryana with 60. Jharkhand will receive 12 buses, while Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal will each have three. Rawat stated that the fleet would expand to 200 buses to address rising festive travel needs.
The BSRTC has already provided subsidies of Rs 6 lakh on ticket bookings, with 746 tickets booked between November 1 and 5. Transport department secretary Raj Kumar said the initiative aligns with the vision of CM Samrat Choudhary to reconnect people with their roots.
Similar inter-state bus arrangements will be made during Prakash Parv, Raj Kumar added.