Madhya Pradesh Restarts Public Bus Service After 21 Years, Gadkari Warns Manufacturers

Madhya Pradesh formally revived its state-backed public bus network on Friday, ending a 21-year gap since the Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (MPSRTC) was wound up in 2005. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav flagged off 351 buses at the BHEL Dussehra Ground in Bhopal under the newly launched Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Sewa and the Centre's PM e-Bus Sewa.

The first fleet consists of 120 intercity and 231 intracity buses, to be run through a public-private partnership model. Indore has received the largest share with 145 buses, followed by Bhopal with 106 and Jabalpur with 67. Rewa has been allocated 18 intercity buses, while Dewas, Katni and Bhind will get 10, three and two buses respectively.

The state government aims to expand the network to about 1,500 buses in the first year, adding 2,500 to 3,000 buses annually, with a long-term target of 15,000 buses by 2031. The earlier corporation was shut down with accumulated liabilities of about Rs 756 crore and monthly losses of nearly Rs 5 crore. The new system will rely on private operators working under government-regulated contracts, with viability sought through transparent contracts, incentives, advertising and cargo-related revenue.

Speaking at the launch, Gadkari issued a strong warning to bus manufacturers. "Manufacturers need to be clearly told to pull up their socks," he said, adding that those failing to meet standards would face government action similar to that taken against contractors. His remarks came amid recent passenger deaths involving air-conditioned sleeper buses in Noida and Rajasthan.

Gadkari said 3,800 people were killed in bus-related accidents across India in 2024, and pointed to tighter standards under the revised Bus Body Code, which took effect on September 1, 2025. Under the revised system, bus body manufacturers can no longer rely on self-certification for registration. Vehicles must obtain type-approval certification from an authorised testing agency, and a separate checklist for every bus must be uploaded to the Vahan portal with physical and video verification.

He warned Regional Transport Office officials against clearing buses without completing these checks. "Without the physical and video verification of the checklist, registration of buses will not be allowed. All RTO officers should keep this in mind," he said. He also cautioned against corruption in the registration process, saying officers who approve vehicles without following procedure could face disciplinary action.

On electric mobility, Gadkari said 972 electric buses had been sanctioned for Madhya Pradesh under PM e-Bus Sewa, but estimated the state's potential at around 25,000 electric buses. The new fleet is equipped with CCTV cameras, panic buttons and vehicle-location tracking systems, while passenger information systems are intended to provide real-time service updates. An Intelligent Transport Management System will monitor bus movement, punctuality and operations through command-and-control centres. The government also plans to train drivers in modern vehicle technology, safety protocols and the operation of CNG and electric buses, besides setting up a passenger grievance-redressal mechanism.