BSRTC's plan to run buses from Delhi stuck in limbo

The Bihar government's plan to run buses from Delhi to various destinations in the state has been in limbo with the transport department of the city government remaining non-committal on granting permission for the service.

Lakhs of people from Bihar settled in Delhi depend on trains that are overcrowded throughout the year, to visit their home places. Private buses plying between Delhi and Bihar charge exorbitant fares, officials said.

Sources said the proposal of Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) had been given in-principle nod by the then Transport commissioner Varsha Joshi but later the file on it was summoned by the Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.

"The file is still lying with the transport minister for nearly two months now," they said.

No immediate reaction was available from Gahlot.

Bihar Transport Secretary and Administrator of BSRTC Sanjay Agarwal said he was not aware of the current status of the file.

"We have applied for the permit from the Delhi government's Transport Department, but approval is still awaited. No update on it is available to us. We are waiting for their reply," Agarwal said.

As per plans, BSRTC was to run four air-conditioned buses between Anand Vihar(New Delhi) and state capital Patna. The number of buses was to be raised to 30 to connect important destinations in the state.

"We have sought permission for 30 buses but initially only four buses are planned to be operated between Patna and Anand Vihar. Delhi's Transport department had agreed to it but a formal approval is still awaited," Agarwal said.

In November last year, Agarwal had written to the Transport Secretary of Delhi, seeking permission to operate 30 buses.

The BSRTC is party to an agreement with Association of State Road Transport Undertakings(ASRTU) for running buses between Delhi and Bihar.