In a significant move to decongest its core areas, the Bhagalpur district administration has successfully shifted the city's old and chaotic bus stand from a highly crowded zone near the railway station to a new location at Rickshadih on the outskirts of the town. The decision comes after years of severe traffic snarls caused by interstate buses and heavy commercial vehicles in the heart of the city.
The Congestion Problem at the Old Location
The former bus stand was situated in one of the most packed parts of Bhagalpur, adjacent to the railway station and a busy local bridge known as 'ultapul'. This bridge is a crucial link connecting the station with the southern sectors of the city. The area had become a nightmare for daily commuters due to the disorderly parking of private buses and transport vehicles.
The situation was further aggravated by the proliferation of small food joints, fruit vendors, and kiosks that catered to bus passengers and railway commuters. Residents had long complained about the paralyzing traffic jams, which caused immense hardship, especially for ambulances carrying patients, schoolchildren, train passengers, and regular commuters.
A Coordinated Decision for Public Relief
After a thorough review of the persistent issue, district officials, in collaboration with city police, traffic police, and railway authorities, finalized the plan to move the bus stand to a more suitable location outside the main city. The objective was to alleviate pressure on the key traffic corridors.
Deputy Development Commissioner and Incharge District Magistrate Pradeep Singh, along with City SP Shubhank Mishra and other officials, recently inspected the new site at Rickshadih under the Bhagalpur bypass police station area. Singh stated that the relocation was executed with the primary aim of providing relief to the general public.
Facilities and Future Monitoring at New Stand
"We are making comprehensive arrangements including a proper bus stand, ticket counters, lavatories, drinking water facilities, and security for passengers and stakeholders like bus operators and their personnel at the newly shifted bus stand at Rickshadih," assured Pradeep Singh.
He added that plans are also underway to improve facilities for commuters traveling to the new bus stand. Different government departments and agencies have been instructed to ensure adequate infrastructure is developed at Rickshadih. City police, traffic police, and district transport officials have been tasked with closely monitoring the new bus stand's operations.
Strict action will be taken against any illegal parking of buses and heavy vehicles to prevent new congestion points from emerging in city areas. The relocation, though largely welcomed, did see some minor resentment from private bus operators accustomed to the old, central location.
