Patna: Footfall on the bus service started by the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) on three routes in Patna has risen from 4,000 to 24,000 daily and helped generate over Rs 37 lakh in revenue since May 3.

The first bus service, from Kargil Chowk to Danapur, was launched on May 3. In the second phase, a bus service was launched from Kargil Chowk to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on May 19 and a service from Kargil Chowk to Patna University was launched on May 23.

"It was a long-pending demand of residents and we are happy to have got a tremendous response," transport department secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said after inspecting the Bankipore bus depot, from where the buses departs for different routes.

"In fact we did not know the bus service would become such a big hit."

When the service started, footfall on the first route (number 111) was 2,000. It jumped to 4,000 in just two days and touched 10,000 within 10 days. On some days it even touches 12,000. On route number 222 (Kargil Chowk to AIIMS), footfall touched 8,000 in 10 days. On the third route, footfall rose from 819 to 3,610.

Twenty-five buses cater to the first route, 15 to the second one and four to the third route. "In just one month, 4,48,783 passengers have taken the buses, helping generate Rs 37,09,997 in revenue," Agarwal said.

Agarwal said more buses will ply on other routes soon and as things stand now, the plan of a bus service from Kargil Chowk to Patna Sahib will begin soon. It was also an occasion when he gave certificate of excellence to drivers and conductors of the city buses for their hard work.

The 32-seater buses are equipped with closed circuit televisions cameras (CCTVs) and first aid box and electronic ticket is given to passengers.

The minimum reasonable fair is Rs 5 and maximum Rs 15. The best part of the service is that 50 per cent of seats are reserved for women and there are separate seats for senior citizens and transgenders.