Ranchi: Overcrowded city buses have become a daily safety hazard in the city, with passengers routinely travelling on footboards, blocking entrances and squeezing into vehicles beyond their seating capacity during peak hours.The problem stems from an acute shortage of buses. Ranchi’s public transport fleet currently has only 24 vehicles, including four pink buses reserved for women. Seventeen older buses were declared unfit and withdrawn from service. Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) sources said a tender had been floated to procure 17 replacements, but the process was yet to be completed.The strain is particularly visible on routes connecting Kokar, Booty More, Kanke, Main Road, Kantatoli, Birsa Chowk, Hatia, Dhurwa and Ranchi railway station.
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Office-goers and students often struggle to board buses during the morning and evening rush hours.“I travel from Kutchery to Rajendra Chowk every day. On most mornings, there is hardly any room even to stand. Many students are forced to hang near the doors because the next bus takes too long to arrive,” college student Anjali Kumari said.Rahul Kumar, who commutes between Hatia and Main Road for coaching classes, said passengers often remain on the footboard throughout the journey. “It feels unsafe, especially when the driver brakes suddenly,” he said.Commuters also flagged poor maintenance, including worn-out seats, broken windows and inadequate ventilation. They said overcrowding makes travel especially difficult for women, senior citizens and schoolchildren.Civic officials said the urban development and housing department had planned to provide 220 diesel buses to strengthen public transport in the city. The proposal, however, is yet to materialise, leaving Ranchi dependent on a fleet inadequate for its growing commuter load.Department secretary Sunil Kumar said procurement had run into tender-related hurdles. “The matter is under process. Once the tender issues are resolved, the fleet will be strengthened,” he said.Passengers demanded immediate addition of buses, better maintenance and enforcement of capacity limits. They said increasing frequency on busy routes was crucial to prevent unsafe travel and reduce waiting time.