CM Nitish Kumar flags off 80 buses dedicated to women passengers in Patna

Nitish Kumar Launches 80 New Women-Only Buses in Patna to Boost Safe Travel for Female Passengers

In a big move for women’s safety in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar kicked off 80 brand-new buses dedicated just for women passengers right in Patna on Monday. This step shows how seriously the Bihar government takes safe and comfy travel for women across the state.

The launch happened at the Chief Minister’s residence, with Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha joining in, along with Transport Minister Sheela Kumari. Before cutting the ribbon, Nitish Kumar and the leaders took a close look at these special buses. They’re packed with cool features like CCTV cameras for security, panic buttons for emergencies, GPS tracking to keep tabs on routes, charging points for phones, sanitary pad vending machines, and even a music system to make rides fun.

Passengers can now book tickets easily online through e-ticketing, so no more last-minute hassles. This is the second round of such women-only bus services in Bihar—remember, just a few weeks back, Nitish flagged off a bunch of pink buses for the same purpose.

What’s neat about this fleet? Female conductors will handle all operations, with only male drivers behind the wheel for safety reasons. Most buses will zip around different routes inside Patna, while others connect to nearby districts. This setup promises hassle-free and secure journeys for women, no matter where they’re headed.

Nitish Kumar’s push here isn’t just about buses—it’s a smart play to win over women voters, who form a huge and powerful group in Bihar elections. Over the years, the CM has earned a solid rep for women empowerment initiatives in Bihar. Lately, he’s ramped things up even more. His government offers 35% reservation for women in government jobs and college admissions, bumped up social security pensions from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100, and rolled out special programs for Jeevika self-help groups to boost rural women’s income and say in decisions.

These aren’t random welfare steps; they’re a clear strategy to lock in support from women voters ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Nitish has always had strong backing from this group, thanks to past hits like alcohol prohibition and free cycles for schoolgirls. With polls on the horizon, he’s doubling down to keep that loyalty strong and make Bihar’s public transport safer for every woman.