Ranchi: More than two years after it was first approved, Ranchi’s ambitious plan to roll out 244 new city buses, including electric and double-decker vehicles, remains stalled due to repeated tender failures and ongoing policy review by the state govt.The project, aimed at modernising Ranchi’s ageing public transport network, was expected to significantly improve urban mobility and reduce dependence on the city’s rapidly growing fleet of autos and e-rickshaws. Officials estimate that Ranchi currently has over 25,000 autos and nearly 8,000 e-rickshaws operating across the city, many of them without proper regulation or fixed fare structures.Under the proposal prepared by Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), the city was to receive 220 diesel buses, 19 air-conditioned electric buses and five double-decker buses. Authorities had also planned 16 dedicated routes connecting major urban stretches and outer-ring-road areas along with modern bus stops, mobile ticketing and real-time bus tracking facilities.Earlier, RMC assistant administrator Niharika Tirkey had said the project was designed to improve public transport accessibility and reduce dependence on unregulated vehicles. “The new bus service aims to address the city’s traffic problems and provide easier connectivity across urban areas,” she had said while outlining the proposed expansion plan.RMC additional administrator Sanjay Kumar said the proposal related to the city bus project has been sent to the department concerned for further consideration.UDHD secretary Sunil Kumar said multiple tender attempts failed to attract workable responses, forcing the govt to reassess the project structure. “The proposal is currently under examination. Since earlier tenders did not succeed, some policy provisions and operational conditions may be revised to make the project more practical and financially viable,” he said.At present, RMC operates only around 24 city buses, a sharp decline from a larger fleet of around 70 some seven years back, with commuters frequently complaining of overcrowding, irregular stops and poor maintenance.
