Bus service rolls into 15 remote Gadchiroli villages after decades of wait

Indian Express

2 days ago

Just days after the country celebrated its 79th Independence Day, residents of Mouza Ambezari and 14 nearby villages in Gadchiroli district witnessed freedom of another kind, the arrival of a state transport bus for the very first time. The milestone was made possible through the persistent efforts of the district police in coordination with the Maharashtra State Transport Corporation (MSRTC).
Ambezari, nearly 100 km from the District Police Headquarters and 21 km from Katezari village, has long remained cut off from public transport. Villagers would often walk for hours to reach the tehsil or district centres. On Monday, that changed as the first ST bus entered the village, welcomed with traditional drums, dancing, and schoolchildren waving the national flag.
The new service will operate on the Gadchiroli–Chatgaon–Dhanora–Yerkad–Murumgaon–Khedegaon–Ambezari–Mangewada–Jaisingtola–Malewada route, connecting over 15 villages. Officials said the bus will significantly improve access to schools, hospitals, and markets, reducing the hardships of daily travel.
'What we have been doing of late is to focus on villages that were unconnected, where buses were not reaching. People here had been demanding public transport, since most do not own vehicles and had to depend on private options. Many of these areas were Maoist-affected until just last year. Although there was a bus line earlier, it ran on a different road and left out these fifteen villages,' Superintendent of Police Neelotpal (IPS) told The Indian Express.
'People here, in the villages of Gadchiroli, look up to the police not just for security, but also as a link to government services. During our gram bhet visits, villagers share their issues, whether it's about roads, street lights, or borewells. We compile these and send them to the district collector. The demand for an ST bus came up during such visits, and we coordinated with the ST department to make it happen,' Neelotpal added.
'The turning point was the Wandoli operation in 2024, where 12 armed Maoists, including key committee members, were neutralised. That cleared the entire northern part of the district of armed presence. Once Maoism waned, people found the confidence to voice demands they had suppressed out of fear,' he said.
SP Neelotpal said, 'The launch of these bus services is symbolic; it shows that Maoism is on the path of eradication. Gadchiroli is steadily moving towards development, connecting the unconnected and bringing people into the mainstream. Villagers are very happy today because they finally have a daily, affordable means of transport. This is about improving the 'ease of living' in Gadchiroli.'
Neelotpal explained that the confidence among villagers to demand services grew after Maoist influence was pushed back. For instance, on January 1st, when the state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Gadchiroli, the Gatta–Wangeturi service was launched. Roads and bridges had to be built first, something Maoists had earlier blocked. Similarly, the Katezari service also found a mention in Mann ki Baat by the Prime Minister. 'Building on that success, we extended efforts to these 15 villages,' he said.
Police Sub-Inspector Ajay Bhosle, in charge of Katezari Police Station, flagged off the bus in the presence of Additional SP (Operations) M Ramesh, Additional SP (Administration) Gokul Raj G, SDPO Dhanora Jagdish Pande, and DySP (Operations) Vishal Nagargojhe and the enthusiastic villagers.
Officials noted that these initiatives are part of a larger push to strengthen infrastructure in Maoist-affected tribal areas, especially the villages situated in the interior parts of Gadchiroli. Police informed in recent years, 507 mobile towers have been installed, 420 km of roads, and 60 bridges have been built under police security.
Police officials said the bus service goes beyond transportation; it represents growing confidence among villagers and a step towards mainstream development.