The steel city's most affordable and convenient mode of transport is back, after more than a year.

Grounded in Jamshedpur since October last year, the city buses resumed services from Wednesday as 12 of the 50-bus vehicles started plying on six routes.

The routes - Kagalnagar-Bistupur-Station-Sundernagar, Kagalnagar-Sakchi-Golmuri-Telco-Kharangajhar, Kagalnagar-Sakchi-Sidhgora-Baridih-Birsanagar, Kagalnagar-Mango bus stand-Bhuiyandih-Nandnagar, Uliyan-Kadma market-Dhatkidih-Sakchi-Mango bus stand and Uliyan-Kadma-Dhatkidih-Bistupur-Station-Sundernagar - form a cluster under Group C.

The rest of the buses, categorised into three other groups (A, B and D) according to the routes, will hit the roads once the tenders are finalised by the end of this month.

The beleaguered bus service had stopped operations in October last year owing to a payment-related dispute between then custodian Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) and City Bus Karamchari Sangh, the workers' union.

Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), the local civic body, now holds the reins of the fleet.

According to JNAC official Vinod Kumar, the buses were scheduled to begin operations from October 2. "But, it could not happen due to delay in agreement with the outsourced agency and also completing the formalities of road tax, fitness and insurance of the buses," he said.

One Raghvendra Pratap Singh has bagged the tender for Group C.

Another official of JNAC G.K. Bhagat said though the buses began operations from Wednesday, there would be a formal re-launch for which they were in the process of seeking time from chief minister Raghubar Das, Jamshedpur MP Bidyut Baran Mahto and food and civil supplies minister Sarayu Roy, also local MLA. "It might take another one week or so," Bhagat added.

JNAC has already prepared a fare chart for the six routes, according to which, Re 1 will be charged per kilometre. The fare works out to be much less compared to other modes of transport, including other private buses or mini buses and auto-rickshaws.

Commuters, no wonder, were jubilant. "In the absence of city buses, I had to travel via auto-rickshaws from Kadma to Sakchi, paying more fare. But, now I will again switch to city buses," said Sujata Karmakar, an employee of a Sakchi retail store.

Another elderly commuter from Sidhgora, Purushottam Singh, also heaved a sigh of relief. "The seats are very comfortable. Moreover, two-three seats are earmarked for elderly people and the physically challenged," said Singh.

The 30-seater (including the driver) Swaraj Mazda vehicles underwent a complete overhaul earlier this year. Local automobile firm Vishal Sales and Service repaired the buses in July.

Do you think the city bus will have a smooth run this time? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com