Ranchi/Jamshedpur: With waiting lists in trains bound for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and other states running into hundreds, bus operators across Jharkhand have rolled out additional inter-state services to meet the soaring travel demand before Diwali and Chhath festivities.In Ranchi, bus operators reported a sharp rise in advance bookings for destinations in Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh as students and migrant workers prepare to go to their homes for the festivities.Jharkhand State Bus Owners’ Association said over 100 buses operate daily between Ranchi and Patna and 15 buses each to Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Raipur. Its operators are witnessing a surge in ticket demand. “Bus operators are doing brisk business this year. People working in Ranchi have already started travelling to their hometowns. The unavailability of train tickets and high airfares have worked in favour of bus operators,” Mantri said.Bus operators in Jamshedpur have added more buses to their fleet travelling to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. The inter-state terminus at Sitaramdera, which usually handles 100 buses daily, is now handling 150 buses every day to cater to the passengers.“There has been an increase in the number of buses operating on different routes. Around 50 additional buses have been added, but the festive rush has not started yet. We expect demand to rise sharply two days before Diwali and continue after the festival. Many passengers are booking in advance,” Uday Sharma, president of Jamshedpur Bus Owners’ Welfare Association, said.Buses to Bihar alone have been increased to 105 from around 85 on regular days. Operators said demand remains particularly strong for routes connecting Patna, Chhapra, Siwan, Ara, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Nawada and Bihar Sharif.Despite the increase in demand, bus operators in Jamshedpur said fares have largely remained unchanged.For many migrant workers and employees, buses have become the only viable option after train reservations were exhausted. “I wanted to travel by train, but tickets were unavailable. I booked a bus ticket so I can be with my family in Siwan for Diwali and Chhath,” said Sunil Gupta, an Adityapur-based worker.With the festive rush expected to peak in the coming days, transporters anticipate packed buses across major interstate routes from both Ranchi and Jamshedpur.
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