CHHATTISGARH: For the first time since Independence, around 650 villages in Chhattisgarh’s remote forest and far-flung regions are now connected by public buses.
Under the Mukhyamantri Gramin Bus Yojana, launched in 2025, the state government is expanding rural transport to link isolated settlements and tribal hamlets with district headquarters.
The dense, undulating terrain of the Bastar division in the south and the Surguja division in the north has long hindered development. Villages are often scattered 5 to 7 kilometres apart, hidden behind hills and thick forest cover. Though roads were built over time, many remained unused because there were few vehicles. Private operators avoided these routes due to low passenger demand, leaving residents to rely on costly and unsafe alternatives.
With a decline in Maoist activity and improved security, travel has become safer and more predictable. Villages once cut off by terrain and fear are now steadily connected to nearby towns. The scheme is restoring mobility to areas that previously had no access to public transport, sparing residents long walks to the nearest motorable road.
“The scheme has transformed lives in regions long isolated due to terrain and Maoist activity. People are now connected to mainstream life, and governance is reaching even the most remote areas,” Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said. Currently, 86 buses are operating on 87 identified routes, mainly across Bastar and Surguja. Officials said 12 more routes and additional buses will be introduced.
To sustain operations on low-traffic routes, the government offers a tiered subsidy: Rs 26 per kilometre in the first year, Rs 24 in the second, and `22 in the third, along with a three-year motor vehicle tax waiver. “This support offsets low ridership in forested areas and encourages private participation,” said D. Ravishankar, Additional Commissioner in the Transport Department.
Residents in Sukma and Narayanpur districts, where services are most active, describe the initiative as transformative.
“For students and patients, these buses are a lifeline connecting multiple tribal villages to essential services,” said Dr Harish Pudiyami from Sukma.
In Dantewada, former sarpanch Bhola Sukalu said many villagers were seeing public transport for the first time. “We are finally being integrated into the state’s socio-economic framework,” he said. Sixty-year-old Budhram Kashyap from Narayanpur recalled the past isolation.
“We felt like we lived in a different century. In emergencies, the absence of transport could mean life or death,” he said.
The scheme’s financial model ensures viability by compensating operators on routes that are not commercially profitable. This has enabled consistent service even in remote districts such as Dantewada, Jashpur, Korea and Gariaband.
Route selection follows a multi-tier process. District committees identify demand-based routes, which are then reviewed by a state-level panel to ensure transparency and avoid political bias.
“We prioritise areas that had no connectivity for decades,” Ravishankar said.
Improved connectivity is already impacting education. For tribal students, especially girls, lack of transport has been a key reason for dropping out after Class 8, as schools and colleges are often 30 to 50 km away. Regular bus services now allow students to commute safely without relocating.
Healthcare access has also improved. Pregnant women and elderly patients can now plan visits to health centres instead of relying solely on ambulances that often struggle to reach remote locations. The initiative focuses on strengthening connectivity in the Red Corridor and hilly regions to ensure that even the most remote residents feel connected to Raipur.