Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai formally launched the second phase of Mukhyamantri Gramin Bus Yojana from his official residence in Raipur on Wednesday. The Chief Minister virtually flagged off the buses. In the second phase, operation of 24 new buses has started on 23 routes of 10 districts of Bastar and Surguja divisions, due to which 180 villages have been directly connected with bus facility. Many villagers participating in the second phase of the programme arrived in the same bus that was launched in the first phase of the scheme.

 

The villagers had a cordial discussion with the Chief Minister. The villagers informed the Chief Minister that now reaching the block headquarters from remote areas has become much easier and smoother than before. Villagers, who arrived via the Sukma-Dornapal-Konta route, said they travelled about 110 kilometres by bus to reach the venue, whereas earlier this journey was extremely difficult and time-consuming. Sai said that the Government has a clear resolve that no village in Chhattisgarh should remain isolated from the mainstream of development.

 

This scheme is not only increasing transportation facilities but is also strengthening social and economic equality by connecting villagers to citiesand service institutions. Mukhyamantri Gramin Bus Yojana is proving to be a milestone in ensuring a robust public transport system in rural and remote areas, thereby providing people with the opportunity of safe, timely and convenient travel, he added. Chief Minister Sai, while congratulating all the villagers of 180 villages who will benefit from the scheme, said that better transport facilities will now make their lives easier than before and will open new avenues of progress.

 

Transport Minister Kedar Kashyap said that bus services are now being started even in those remote and forest areas where transport facilities had never reached. This scheme is emerging as a boon especially for the tribal dominated areas of Bastar and Surguja, he added. It may be mentioned that the first phase of the Mukhyamantri Gramin Bus Yojana”was launched on October 4, 2025 by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, under which 250 villages were connected with bus services. Now with the start of the second phase, this number has increased further and 180 more villages have been added.

 

Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Sharma, Arun Sao, other cabinet ministers, Secretary to Chief Minister Rahul Bhagat, Secretary of Transport Department S Prakash and other senior officers were present on the occasion.