Patna: Move over Patna. Roads in Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Bhagalpur, too, would now sport swanky buses for commuters.
After the popularity of the ring route bus service launched in Patna on May 15, Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) would offer the people of the three towns a chance to catch up with their capital counterparts.
BSRTC, an undertaking of the state government, has recently initiated the process of inviting applications from service providers to run the buses in the proposed cities.
“We have invited applications for operating city bus services in the three cities under the subsidy scheme of the corporation. Under the proposal, 30 buses would be provided in Muzaffarpur, 20 in Gaya and 30 in Bhagalpur. We have just taken the first step in this regard, so it will not be possible for us to give an exact date when the buses would start running. We are trying to finalise all formalities at the earliest,†said a senior BSRTC official.
The official added the route of these buses would be decided only after the final selection of applicants.
According to norms, the buses would have to be new or should have been bought for the first time in 2011 having 32 seats. These buses are expected to be equipped with the latest technological devices like fire extinguishers and first-aid kits similar to those existing on ring route buses in the capital.
The proposed vehicles would be operated from the bus depots of the corporation and the space for halting their vehicles would be provided by BSRTC to the operators.
Under this scheme, BSRTC would provide a subsidy of Rs 7.5 lakh on each bus and the applicant would share 10 per cent of the total revenue, with the corporation.
According to sources, bids have been invited and the bidder providing the maximum number of buses in a city would be selected first.
Thereafter, the bidder providing the next highest number of buses would be chosen and this process would continue till the total requirement of buses are complete.
Citizens, meanwhile, are delighted with the proposed city bus scheme.
“At present, there is no system of city buses in Gaya and most people avail autorickshaws for travelling. Earlier, the district administration had introduced a city bus service in 1998 but gradually that system was abolished. We are extremely glad that finally we will be having a proper mode of public transport in the city of Gautam Buddha,†said Gaya resident Suresh Narayan.