- विज्ञापन -
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh is set to revive its public transport system after nearly two decades, with a focus on benefiting rural areas. The previous decision to discontinue the State Road Transport Corporation, which provided bus services across the state, was made by the BJP-led government under former Chief Minister Babulal Gaur due to financial losses.
A government official stated that a team of officials is working on the revival, and the proposal will be presented at the next Cabinet meeting. The decision to disband the transport corporation left a significant gap in the state’s transportation network, especially in rural areas where private operators serve only profitable routes, leaving many villages without access to public transport.
Restoring the public transport system will boost economic activities in smaller towns and villages, while also providing essential access to healthcare and education for rural residents. Currently, only Bhopal and Indore have urban bus services, and the rest of the state relies on private transport.
The Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav, has given preliminary approval for the project and instructed relevant departments to devise a model for implementation. A study is being conducted by the Transport, Finance, Public Works, and Rural Development departments. Madhya Pradesh, along with Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, is one of the few states in India without a state-run or state-supported public road transport network.
There are three models under consideration: one where the state government owns and operates a transport corporation, another where the state owns buses and infrastructure but outsources operations, and a third option where private operators are incentivized to serve unprofitable routes through a Viability Gap Funding model, covering all districts in the state.
