Connectivity to rural areas would be strengthened as the department of Transport has cleared the deck for private players to operate buses on rural roads specified by the department. The department is now trying to woo private transport companies to come forward as it has made up its mind to grant permit on priority basis.
The department has mapped routes in rural areas of five divisions specifying roads for private players to operate transport services for rural population hitherto dependent on personal means of transportation. The move would fill the void left because of non-existent state owned transport system. The transport infrastructure would link one rural habitation to another.
“Since we are not running our transport services, we are extending transport facility in this manner. It is the duty of the government to provide transport facility to the people and also to see that transport apparatus is strengthened,” said Transport Minister, CP Singh.
The route chart prepared by the department specifies that National Highway would not extend beyond 6-km in rural areas and the remaining stretch of the road would come under the State roads for which the department would grant permits to private operators willing to start their services. The permit would be granted for mini-buses with the seating capacity between 6-21 passengers excluding driver and bus conductor for hassle free movement of vehicles on the narrow stretches crisscrossing rural patches in Jharkhand.
“Providing connectivity has been on the top of the mind. It would help in strengthening rural infrastructure and would fast pace development of rural areas,” added the Transport Minister.
The transport model is based on similar initiatives in other States especially Madhya Pradesh and the department is getting ready to execute the proposal for rural transport system before March 2016 in all five divisions of Jharkhand.