RAIPUR: For the first time since independence, a regular bus service has begun operating to the remote Pidiya region in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Bijapur district of Bastar. The development was made possible after the 199th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force established a forward operating base (FOB) at Pidiya, a cluster of about 15 villages located nearly 50–60km from the district headquarters and long considered inaccessible due to Maoist influence and lack of road security. For decades, residents of the area had little or no access to regular transport, with the journey to Bijapur town often involving long treks through forested terrain. Security officials said sustained anti-Maoist operations and the establishment of the CRPF camp gradually ensured operational dominance in the region and provided the security cover necessary for road connectivity.With improved security along the route, a bus service has now started operating from Bijapur to Pidiya, passing through villages such as Gangaloor, Pusnar, Hiroli, Kawadgaon and Muthvendi. The service is expected to significantly ease daily travel for villagers who were previously cut off from the district headquarters, said a CRPF officer.Local residents said the new connectivity would particularly benefit students from remote tribal villages, especially girls seeking higher education opportunities in Bijapur town. Access to healthcare, markets, administrative services and other essential facilities is also expected to improve for the local population.The development is being seen as a sign of growing state presence in an area that was once considered among the most inaccessible Maoist strongholds in south Bastar.
