Digital Desk |
New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) On the occasion of Chhath Puja, the BJP-led governments in Delhi and Bihar have decided to deploy 77 buses for ferrying devotees on subsidised tickets, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said on Thursday.
He said the initiative reflects the shared commitment of both governments to ease the festive travel rush and strengthen interstate public transport connectivity.
The initial arrangement from Anand Vihar Bus Terminal includes 77 buses across five Bihar divisions: Muzaffarpur (36), Patna (13), Purnea (12), Gaya Ji (10) and Darbhanga (6), he said.
To provide financial relief to passengers, subsidised festival fares are being charged across Non-AC Seater, Non-AC Sleeper, AC Seater and AC Sleeper categories, he said.
Depending on the route and bus category, passengers will benefit from reductions ranging from Rs 134 to Rs 1,028, he said.
For instance, the Non-AC Seater fare on the Patna-Delhi route has been reduced from Rs 1,615 to Rs 1,221, while the AC Seater fare has been brought down from Rs 1,980 to Rs 1,361, he said.
Pankaj Kumar Singh said, “Chhath Puja holds immense cultural and emotional significance for lakhs of people from Bihar and Poorvanchal residing in Delhi. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi government is committed to working in coordination with the Bihar Government to ensure that passengers can travel home safely and affordably.”
“The introduction of subsidised fares and additional bus services is an important step towards making public transport more accessible during the festive season,” he said in a statement.
The Minister highlighted the proposed Reciprocal Transport Agreement between Delhi and Bihar, which envisages 18 interstate routes connecting Delhi with major destinations in Bihar, including Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj, Buxar, Nawada, Madhubani and Biharsharif.
The proposed arrangement provides for bus operations in both directions, with a permit quota of 12 buses each for Delhi and Bihar on every route. Several routes will connect through major transit points in Uttar Pradesh, including Noida, Agra, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Varanasi.
Pankaj Kumar Singh said that passenger safety and environmental compliance have also been prioritised under the proposed agreement. Only BS-VI environment-friendly CNG buses and electric buses will be permitted.
Buses will also be required to have vehicle location tracking devices and emergency buttons. The agreement further provides for mutual recognition of tickets issued in either state and stipulates that the arrangement will remain valid for 10 years subject to applicable legal provisions, he said.
The Delhi Transport Minister reiterated that the initial 77-bus service is an important beginning and that its operations will be monitored to assess passenger requirements. Further routes and services will be incorporated in a phased manner to strengthen connectivity between Delhi and Bihar and provide passengers with more convenient and affordable travel options, the statement said.
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