After a two-decade wait, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar governments have finally inked an agreement to ply buses between the two states. With the accord in place, travel time will come down considerably in areas bordering UP and Bihar.
A government spokesman said in lucknow on Sunday that Roadways buses of both states would ply on 25 identified routes, while private buses could do so in another nine routes, providing passengers of both sides the facility to travel across.
“The demand has been pending for the last two decades. Many social outfits, political parties and individuals had petitioned reepective governments to start bus service between the two states. The best part of the deal is that not only state-run buses but private buses will also operate between two states. Beside saving travel time, it will also generate additional revenue for both states,” he said.
Principal Secretary for Transport, Arvind Dev signed the agreement on behalf of UP government, while his counterpart in Bihar, Sujata Chaturvedi did the formality for her state.
UP Transport Commissioner K Ravindra Naik said in lucknow on Sunday that the agreement is historic as now, passengers of both states could avail cheaper transport from nearby destinations.
“Though both the states are well connected through rail lines, passengers have to avail bus or other mode of transport to reach their villages. The bus service will reach passengers to their villages thereby saving time,” he said.
The routes in which government buses will ply are: Patna- Varanasi via Arrah- Buxar, Darbhanga-Bhadohi via Varanasi- Sevapuri, Gaya- Saranath via Aurangabad- Dehri, Patna -Ballia via Arrah- Buxar, Chapra- Gorakhpur, Siwan-Gorakhpur, Motihari-Gorakhpur, Raxaul-Gorakhpur via Gopalganj-Salemgarh-Kasya, Raxaul- Gorakhpur via Motihari, Deoria-Patna, Varanasi-Dehri, Ramnagar- Bhabua via Jamalpur- Sinderpur-Bhikampur-Chakia-Ben-Dharauli, Arrah-Varanasi, Ballia-Buxar via Fefna- Bayani- Chitbaragaon- Bharauli,Alinagar- Dehri, Bhabua-Varanasi, via Dharauli- Chandauli, Patan-Gorakhpur via Hajipur-Siwan-Deoria, Bhabua-Varanasi via Naubatpur, Muzaffarpur-Gorakhpur via Alempur- Piprakothi, Raxaul- Gorakhpur via Piprakothi-Gopalganj, Buxar- Ujariyaghat, Chapra-Ballia via Bariya, Azamgarh-Muzaffarpur via Ballia- Majhighat, Varanasi-Gaya via Aurangabad and lucknow-Varasi-Gaya via Aurangabad.
The private buses would operate on the routes of Barhaj-Salempur-Pratappur factory- Mairawa- Siwan, Salempur-Bhingari-Bhawanichapar-Neerganj-Hatua-Siwan, Samaur-Padrauna-Chitauni-Bagha, Gorakhpur-Kaptanganj-chitaunighat-bagha, Ballia-Buxar via Bharauli border, Ballia-chapra via majhighat,Mau-Gahmarvara, Varanasi-Buxar via Bara -Chausa and Varanasi- Dehri via Sasaram- Mohania-Bhabua- Karmna-Chandauli.
Naik said that bus fares have been decided and kilometer route (how many kilometers buses of each state will travel) has also been finalised.