Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav relaunched the state’s public bus service on Friday, marking the first operation in 21 years since its shutdown in 2005. The ceremony, held on the birth anniversary of BJP patron Deen Dayal Upadhyay, saw the unveiling of the ‘Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva’ and the flag‑off of 351 buses from Bhopal’s BHEL Dussehra ground.
The new service will commence from seven cities—Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Rewa, Dewas, Katni and Bhind—with 231 intra‑city and 120 inter‑city buses. It is part of Madhya Pradesh’s Mobility Vision 2030, which aims to improve connectivity across the state.
Officials said the government plans to operate 1,500 buses in the first year and add 2,500 to 3,000 new units annually. By 2031 the state intends to run 15,000 intra‑ and inter‑state buses on 3,500 routes, linking 75 % of gram panchayats. Chief Minister Yadav highlighted that the fleet will offer modern, affordable and safe travel for the public.
During the event, the leaders also launched the ‘PM e‑bus Sewa’ scheme, a Union‑government initiative that deploys electric buses under a public‑private partnership. The centre plans to field 10,000 electric buses at a cost of ₹57,000 crore, of which ₹20,000 crore will be borne by the centre; 972 buses have already been sanctioned for Madhya Pradesh. Critics, however, pointed out that many of the flagged‑off buses are refurbished 10‑year‑old vehicles painted saffron, questioning their fitness and passenger safety.
