Patna: Bihar Government is planning a mega urban transport system with over 600 City Buses plying in Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Purnea and Katihar. Â The State Government has formed Bihar Urban Transport Services Ltd for this purpose, via a notification in December 2013.
The City Bus service would begin in Patna and Bodh Gaya by August 15. A Total of 260 Buses for Patna and 40 Buses for Gaya have been purchased while 260 More buses are on its way to be procured by the Government for Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea and Darbhanga.
These Buses would run under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). However, these  would not be low-floor buses,  but standard 32-seater buses. BUIDCo awarded the contract of supply these Buses to Tata Motors.
According to a report in The Telegraph, these buses would have space for a wheelchair. LED-based electronic route display system, along with audible announcement system in English and Hindi, would be installed at the front, rear and either side. An electronic display system would be installed, to display names of bus stops in Hindi and English alternatively.
Also Read: Bihar Govt to procure 500 new Buses for BSRTC
JNNURM City Bus Service Proposed Route in Patna. (click to enlarge)
JnNURM is a massive city-modernisation scheme launched by the Centrally Government of India under Ministry of Urban Development in 2005. For a Million Plus City like Patna, 50% of Cost is born by Central Government, 20% by State Government while the rest finance is procured as Share/Loan from Financial Institutions.
The Funds were sanctioned by Central Government under the JNNURM for procurement of buses for Patna and Bodh Gaya in 2009 little progress was made that time. Proposals are on to run JNNURM city service buses in the 11 municipal corporation areas of Bihar.
The buses would be operated in public-private-partnership mode and the firm, which would offer the highest proportion of revenue in running the buses to Bihar Urban Transport Services Limited, would be selected.
The Mission also aims to  boost  the traffic system with installation of electronic traffic signals, closed-circuit television cameras and modern bus queue centres.
In order to increase the patronage for the women some of these Buses would have  ladies first rule at either the first stop or at the designated stops to enable the ladies to board the bus first.
Bihar Government started a city bus service in Patna in 2011 on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. However in November 2013, the Patna City bus service received a serious setback when the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC)  attached nine buses run by a private operator as its total outstanding dues amounted to over Rs 10 crore. Similar losses were reported with several operators.  The Special Women’s Buses were also introduced, however it was closed shortly allegedly due to less commuters.