Latest news with #BSRTC
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Cabinet OKs bus scheme for migrants & digital libraries in all constituencies
Patna: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved two key proposals ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for Oct-Nov – a scheme to facilitate festive-season travel for migrant workers and the establishment of digital libraries in all 243 assembly constituencies. According to the cabinet note, around 6,000 migrant workers and other residents travel daily from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to Bihar during the festive months —specifically from Durga Puja to Chhath, and again during Holi. To address this seasonal rush, the govt will operate private buses under the public-private partnership (PPP) model along inter-state routes for the next five years. The Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) will sign agreements with private bus operators to run services during this period. "Under the scheme, the transport corporation will pay incentive money to the private bus operators at the rate of Rs 150 per seat during the peak period and Rs 300 per seat during the lean period, as per the agreement terms. Also, 2% of the total cost will be provided as a contingency fund to ensure smooth operations," said S Siddharth, additional chief secretary, cabinet secretariat department. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like From Smoothies to Stretching: Gentle Ideas for Lower Back Wellness Read More Undo Together, the incentives and contingency allocation total Rs 36 crore — comprising Rs 35 crore in incentive payments and Rs 71 lakh in contingency funds. For the current financial year (2025-26), Rs 7.27 crore has been earmarked. The cabinet also gave administrative approval for Rs 94 crore as the establishment cost for chief minister's Digital Library Scheme, under which a library will be set up in every assembly constituency to support job-seeking youth and students. Each digital library, spread across 300 square feet, will offer access to syllabus content, advanced learning materials and preparation resources for competitive exams such as JEE, NEET and CLAT. Users will also be able to access employment-related information from district employment offices and job portals. The libraries will be equipped with high-speed internet and 10 computers each. The Patna district digital library will serve as the state-level model with 60 computers, while regional models will have 50 computers. Constituency-level libraries will be set up in locations such as Panchayat Bhavans, block office premises, Nagar Parishads, community libraries, or in govt schools and colleges with additional space.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Govt set to roll out 80 more pink buses as demand surges
Patna: The pink bus service in state, launched on May 16 this year, has witnessed a surge in popularity among women with a six-fold increase in ridership in just two months. Over 33,000 women have availed the service since its launch with the Patna division alone accounting for more than 21,000 passengers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) has announced plans to launch 80 additional CNG pink buses by the end of August and 35 of them will operate in Patna. Currently, 20 pink buses are in service across the state, including eight in Patna, four in Muzaffarpur and two each in Bhagalpur, Gaya, Darbhanga and Purnia. Officials said the demand for pink buses was not limited to the state capital. Districts such as Bhagalpur, Purnia, Gaya and Darbhanga have collectively recorded over 7,000 passengers, primarily students and working women, since May. "In May 2025, approximately 5,000 women used the pink bus service. By June, this number had exceeded 28,000," said a BSRTC official, adding that the numbers are continuing to rise steadily. The growing use of pink buses underlines the increasing need for safe and accessible public transport for women. "This surge highlights the demand for gender-sensitive infrastructure," said a transport department official. Each pink bus is equipped with features designed to ensure women's safety and comfort, including panic buttons, GPS tracking, CCTV cameras, charging points and soon, sanitary pad vending machines and medical kits. In addition to women drivers, the service has also deployed women conductors to make the experience more secure and reassuring for passengers. A two-phase residential training programme is being organised to prepare more women drivers for the upcoming fleet. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The aim is not just to provide transport but to create opportunities for women behind the wheel," said an official involved in the training initiative. To make the service even more accessible, camps will be held on college campuses to facilitate the distribution of pink bus passes to students. Officials said such steps would improve women's mobility across Bihar and help embed the pink bus service as a permanent feature of public transport in the state.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BSRTC to launch app-based ticketing system for all buses
Passengers can now book tickets for all buses operated by the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) through an online platform with the department preparing to launch its own dedicated app. The new facility will allow users to book seats, choose their preferred seat, view live availability and cancel tickets – all from their cellphones without the need for a physical ticket. The announcement was made on Saturday during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Canara Bank, which, along with Worldline, will manage the online ticketing system. BSRTC administrator Atul Verma said around 100 buses would be brought under the pilot phase this month. From next month, the entire fleet will transition to the new online system. "Earlier, such a facility existed only for select interstate buses, such as Patna-Ranchi or Patna-Ghaziabad, and booking was managed by a private agency. Now, with our own app, intrastate bookings can also be done online," he said. "This facility will be of great help. People sitting anywhere can book tickets, view their booking status, check seat availability and choose the seat of their choice through live updates. If needed, they can cancel the ticket as well. All this can be done via cellphone and passengers will not be required to carry a hard copy of the ticket," Verma added. He said BSRTC currently operates a fleet of 941 buses and is in the process of adding 500 more ahead of Durga Puja. These additional buses will run from administrative divisions in Bihar to major destinations like Delhi, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana – regions where travellers often struggle to reach their hometowns during the festive season. He added that 80 more pink buses will be introduced by the end of Aug. Women drivers will be trained to operate these buses and in partnership with the health department, kiosks will be installed onboard. These kiosks will allow women passengers to purchase sanitary napkins and contraceptive pills at affordable prices. Transport minister Sheela Kumari congratulated her team and Canara Bank officials for facilitating a system that offers greater convenience to the public. She, however, stressed the need to consider the challenges faced by those in rural areas or people who are not familiar with digital platforms. "Be polite with such people who are not able to use the online facility. Alternative ticketing options should continue for those who may find the app difficult to use," she said.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BSRTC to launch app-based ticketing system for all buses
Patna: Passengers can now book tickets for all buses operated by the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) through an online platform with the department preparing to launch its own dedicated app. The new facility will allow users to book seats, choose their preferred seat, view live availability and cancel tickets – all from their cellphones without the need for a physical ticket. The announcement was made on Saturday during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Canara Bank , which, along with Worldline, will manage the online ticketing system. BSRTC administrator Atul Verma said around 100 buses would be brought under the pilot phase this month. From next month, the entire fleet will transition to the new online system. "Earlier, such a facility existed only for select interstate buses, such as Patna-Ranchi or Patna-Ghaziabad, and booking was managed by a private agency. Now, with our own app, intrastate bookings can also be done online," he said. "This facility will be of great help. People sitting anywhere can book tickets, view their booking status, check seat availability and choose the seat of their choice through live updates. If needed, they can cancel the ticket as well. All this can be done via cellphone and passengers will not be required to carry a hard copy of the ticket," Verma added. He said BSRTC currently operates a fleet of 941 buses and is in the process of adding 500 more ahead of Durga Puja. These additional buses will run from administrative divisions in Bihar to major destinations like Delhi, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana – regions where travellers often struggle to reach their hometowns during the festive season. He added that 80 more pink buses will be introduced by the end of Aug. Women drivers will be trained to operate these buses and in partnership with the health department, kiosks will be installed onboard. These kiosks will allow women passengers to purchase sanitary napkins and contraceptive pills at affordable prices. Transport minister Sheela Kumari congratulated her team and Canara Bank officials for facilitating a system that offers greater convenience to the public. She, however, stressed the need to consider the challenges faced by those in rural areas or people who are not familiar with digital platforms. "Be polite with such people who are not able to use the online facility. Alternative ticketing options should continue for those who may find the app difficult to use," she said.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
400 high-end vehicles sold in city since Jan: BSRTC
Patna: City is witnessing a shift in trend in purchase of vehicles, with people going for luxury cars reflecting the city's growing economic affluence. From Innova Crystas to Jaguars and Porsches, high-end four-wheelers are no longer a rarity on roads. According to data from the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC), since Jan 2025, nearly 400 luxury vehicles have been purchased. Prices of such vehicles range from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Of them, a maximum of 200 units of Toyota's Innova Crysta has been sold, followed by Toyota Fortuner. As the elites of this city are increasingly opting for high-end international brands, nine Mercedes, nine Jaguars, seven Porches, two Audis and eight Range Rovers have found home in Patna in the last six months. During the last three years, 1,403 expensive four-wheelers were purchased in Patna. Compared to previous years, the sale of luxury vehicles has increased rapidly this year. Previously, in 2024, 2023 and 2022, purchase of 363, 353 and 295 high-end vehicles were made. The growing affinity for expensive four-wheelers has spurred a boom in the automotive retail sector in the city. Patna now has 59 four-wheeler showrooms, said BSRTC. Earlier people used to go to Ranchi, Kolkata or Varanasi to buy luxury cars. The surge in sales of such cars has come as a boon for the state, contributing significantly to GST and road tax revenues. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
