19-05-2025
After 77 years of independence, state-run bus rolls out on 100km of Red Corridor
Nagpur: After a 78-year wait, the first state-run bus service rolled out on a 100km stretch from Katezari to Gadchiroli, which was once the booby-trapped artery of the
Red Corridor
, where neither govt nor combat boots had ever set foot. The landmark achievement by Gadchiroli police and
Maharashtra State Transport Corporation
, followed the dismantling of the 'janata sarkar' or guerrilla rule with the decimation of last standing 'dalams' here.
Chief minister
Devendra Fadnavis
used his X handle to hail the occasion, stating it would augur well for the student community, who suffered in isolation without transport facility. He also underscored development as a harbinger of police and citizen rapport.
The bus service from April 26 is expected to benefit 12 surrounding villages, providing easier access to tehsil and district headquarters and was welcomed with fanfare by local tribals.
Govt officials say the service, which is clocking high footfall, will significantly ease daily struggles of residents, particularly students, who will now have better access to educational opportunities. The service is also anticipated to strengthen trust with police and administration and prevent Naxalism from striking again, said experts.
SP Gadchiroli Neelotpal stated four area committees — Korchi, Kasansoor, Chatgaon and Tippagarh — and two dalams (combining areas committees) of north Gadchiroli were wiped out in July last year after 12 Maoists were neutralized.
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"Katezhari had been a problem area for years until the guerrillas were eliminated. Now, commando domination over the area and goodwill generated among villages is a giant step in normalcy in the once insurgency-ridden district," said the SP.
Sources stated Katezhari was once the pivot of Maoist operations. The former central committee member Milind Teltumbde, who was neutralized in 2021 at Mardintola encounter, held sway here.
After his death, the last few guerrilla formations were decimated by commandos.
The initiative to start the bus service marks a significant milestone in tribal-dominated and Maoist-hit Gadchiroli district, where residents relied on foot travel even to ferry the sick to hospitals.
The bus service was warmly welcomed by residents, who celebrated its arrival with music and festivities, said a local resident. The inauguration ceremony was led by sub-divisional police officer, Jagdish Pande, who also addressed villagers, offering guidance and encouragement.
Inspector Ajay Bhosale, in-charge of Katezhari Police Station, flagged off the bus, officially setting it on its route.
On January 1, 2025, a bus service from Gatta to Gardewada and further to Wangeturi was introduced. Over the past five years, under police protection, 435km of roads, 18 roads and 59 bridges have been constructed in the district's remote areas, transforming the lives of residents.
