Election, wedding season limit frequency of passenger buses

Ranchi: With a large number of buses requisitioned for election-related work and their demand in the ongoing wedding season, the intensity of regular buses plying to places like Khunti, Chatra, Lohardaga and Palamu from Ranchi have dropped drastically in the past few days. From over two dozen buses that ply on each of these routes, their numbers have come down to less than half-a-dozen, say bus operators and commuters.
Anita Toppo, a commuter who was waiting for a bus at Khadgara on Tuesday afternoon, said, “Earlier, the buses used to ply between Ranchi and Khunti at an interval of every 15 minutes. But nowadays we have to wait for over an hour with uncertainty if the buses will arrive. I took a Trekker back home yesterday and it looks like I have to do the same today.”

The operators are also in a fix as several large buses have been tagged for election duty. A conductor of a bus that plies on Ranchi-Khunti-Tata route said: “The buses with stickers have to be surrendered to the administration on the dates mentioned. But the commuters are avoiding sitting on the buses over fears that they might be asked to deboard anywhere on their way. The number of buses plying on most routes have reduced and most of the commuters are looking at alternative options to commute.”

Kishore Mantri, general secretary of Jharkhand Bus Owners’ Association, said: “While some buses have been called for election duty many more have been booked by wedding parties. This has led to shortage of buses on popular routes. These buses are the regular modes of commute for many daily-wage labourers, farmers and even people who travel to the state capital for work every day.”

Ajit Bhagat, a contractor at ITI Bus Stand, another major departure point in the capital, said: “The frequency of buses will go back to normal after the elections. The number of buses in Ranchi-Lohardaga-Palamu route was around two dozen till last month, but we have just six buses plying on the route at present.”

He added, “The commuters are relying on trains plying to Lohardaga or are forced to wait for hours for the buses. The schedule is so erratic that even the bus owners cannot tell when the buses will leave from the terminus or the number of trips they will make in a day.”