Pune: In preparation for the Diwali festival, the Pune division of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) department has requested 250 additional buses from the Nashik, Beed, Latur, and Akola divisions.
This measure is aimed at providing timely and efficient service to passengers traveling from Pune to various parts of Maharashtra during the festive season.
Pune, along with its neighboring city Pimpri-Chinchwad, sees a significant exodus of residents traveling to their hometowns for Diwali. During this time, the demand for both railway and ST services surges, while private bus operators often take advantage of the situation by charging high fares.
To avoid any inconvenience, many passengers book their tickets well in advance, and this year is no exception. ST bus bookings are already in high demand.
However, due to a decline in the number of buses in the Pune division’s fleet, the department is taking steps to address the issue. Out of the 815 buses currently available in the Pune division, 521 buses are over 10 years old, making them less reliable for long-distance journeys.
The department has noted frequent breakdowns, which has led to restrictions on using these aging buses for long routes.
Currently, modern E-Shivneri and Shivai buses operate on a few select routes, such as Mumbai, Kolhapur, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Solapur.
Passengers traveling on other key routes must often endure older buses, leading to discomfort during travel. To address this issue, the ST department has requested additional buses from neighboring divisions to handle the festive rush.
Waiting for New Buses
The arrival of new E-Shivai, Shivneri, and Lalpari buses in the ST fleet has been delayed, raising concerns. It was originally expected that these new buses would be available before Diwali, but now their arrival is likely to be either during or after the festival.
Meanwhile, due to the introduction of various discounts, the number of ST passengers has risen by 50%. To handle the increased demand, the corporation is planning additional bus services for Diwali.
