Patna: Bihar is set to introduce bus services on 1,675 new routes as part of a major expansion of its public transport network, the state’s Transport Department has announced. The plan includes both intra-state and inter-state routes and is intended to improve connectivity for rural residents who often struggle to reach major cities.
More than 900 of the new routes will operate within Bihar, while the remainder will link the state to neighbouring regions including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan. For the first time, the state is preparing to start direct bus services to Delhi, as well as to Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.
Most of the new services will run under a public–private partnership (PPP) model. Officials said the department is finalising the framework and will soon invite applications from private operators. Although Bihar currently runs buses to Uttar Pradesh and a handful of other states, it has no direct service to the national capital.
Alongside the expansion plan, the Transport Department has renewed enforcement of safety rules requiring two drivers on all buses travelling more than 250km. Many operators have yet to comply, officials said, prompting instructions to district authorities to cancel non-compliant permits. More than 30 buses have faced action over the past four years.
The department said the two-driver rule is essential to reduce fatigue-related accidents. “Continuous driving without rest has been a major cause of road crashes,” an official said. “Having two drivers is mandatory to ensure safer long-distance operations.”
