Nagpur: The first-ever passenger bus service on Tuesday rolled into the remotest hamlet of the once guerrilla hub of Gadchiroli district — Tumarkothi — marking a historic milestone 79 years after independence.This tribal hamlet, nestled deep in the forests approximately 30km off Bhamragad and nearly 100km off Aheri, was once a forbidden zone, where Maoists held absolute sway. Here grenades exploded, bullets flew and IED ambush was routine.The new service on the Tumarkothi-Kothi-Bhamragad-Aheri route, launched by Gadchiroli Police in collaboration with Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), is the latest in a series of connectivity initiatives that are reshaping the district.In recent years, 559 mobile phone towers have been installed across the district under police protection, 424km of roads laid out, and 65 bridges built, bringing connectivity and mobile signals to cut-off zones.For decades, fear of guerrillas kept both modern communication and basic transportation at bay — no reliable mobile phone towers, no all-weather roads, and certainly no public buses.Residents, predominantly tribals, were forced to undertake arduous foot marches for even routine travel to tehsil or district headquarters. Now, with the insurgency rapidly fading away due to sustained commando operations, mass surrenders, and developmental push, passenger buses have begun rolling into these once-uncharted territories.On Tuesday, the state-run bus was accorded a traditional welcome in Tumarkothi. Villagers played folk instruments, performed dances, and celebrated with joy as the vehicle entered the village. Schoolchildren waved the tricolour and joined in festivities, turning the occasion into a festival of hope and normalcy.Police sub-inspector Gorakhnath Surase, in charge of Tumarkothi outpost, formally flagged off the bus by waving the green flag under the guidance of Gadchiroli SP Neelotpal.The service is expected to directly benefit 500 people in this cluster of remote hamlets, easing access to education, healthcare, markets, and govt services.“Students will no longer miss classes due to the lack of transport, and daily commuters will be spared the exhausting treks,” said a senior police official.This launch follows similar pioneering bus services introduced in the past year on routes such as Gatta-Gardewada-Wangeturi, Katezari-Gadchiroli and Markanar-Aheri — all in the red corridor.Gram panchayat member Bhagyashree Lekami, village patil (village police warden) Ramji Mattami, Chinna Mattami, Raju Gawde, school teacher Rama Lekami, and around 300 villagers were present. Additional SPs M Ramesh, Kartik M (Aheri), Gokul Raj G, Vishal Nagargoje, and other officers, along with CRPF personnel and local staff, played a key role in making the service operational.
