The Chhattisgarh High Court has come down heavily on the State Transport Department over the discontinuance of city bus services in Bilaspur, observing that the ongoing suspension—despite an earlier revival following court orders—is causing significant hardship to residents.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal took note of a news report revealing that the buses had been non-operational for the past four days due to breakdowns. The Court stressed that the service, which has been running for a decade within a 30-kilometre radius of Bilaspur, was a crucial transport lifeline for both city dwellers and nearby areas, particularly since several train services to smaller stations like Bilha and Kota were curtailed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“A large number of people are getting upset due to the city bus not being operated for the last 4 days. Corporation officials say that the buses have deteriorated due to being old and now they are not even worth repairing. It is being said that new e-buses will start after Diwali,” the Bench noted, citing the news report.
Background
The Court is hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting the drastic reduction in city bus services across Chhattisgarh post-pandemic. Many buses in several cities were reportedly parked idle in depots for over two years.
At the previous hearing on July 22, 2025, the Secretary-cum-Transport Commissioner had informed the Court that in Bilaspur, out of nine city buses, six had completed insurance, fitness, and tax formalities, five were operational, and one more would soon join the fleet.
However, the latest report contradicted this statement, revealing that all buses had stopped running entirely.
Court’s Directions
Expressing displeasure, the Bench directed the Secretary-cum-Transport Commissioner to appear in person before the Court and explain why a “misleading affidavit” had been filed on July 20, 2025. The affidavit had claimed that five buses were operational when, in reality, they became non-functional within 20 days.
The Court further ordered the officer to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated for providing incorrect information, given the severe public inconvenience caused by the disruption.
The matter will be taken up for further hearing on the next date, with the Court keeping a close watch on the restoration of essential transport services.
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