250 Extra Buses to Operate from Pune Ahead of Diwali
Pune, 14th October 2024: In preparation for the upcoming Diwali festival, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has announced the deployment of 250 additional buses to meet the increased travel demand. These buses will help ensure better and more timely service for passengers traveling from Pune to various parts of Maharashtra.
Due to a reduction in the overall number of buses in the MSRTC fleet this year, the administration has arranged for extra buses from the Beed, Latur, Akola, and Nashik divisions to supplement Pune’s MSRTC division. This move aims to avoid any inconvenience to the large number of passengers expected during the festive season.
Many people working or studying in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad travel to their hometowns for Diwali, resulting in crowded trains and buses. Private bus operators are known to increase ticket prices during this period, prompting most passengers to book their tickets well in advance.
However, a shortage of buses has been observed at key bus depots like Swargate, Shivajinagar, Pune Station, and Vallabhnagar. Currently, out of the 815 buses available in the Pune division, 521 have exceeded their 10-year age limit and are in poor condition, making them unsuitable for long-distance travel due to frequent breakdowns.
While some routes to Mumbai, Kolhapur, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Solapur are served by e-Shivneri and Shivai buses, many passengers on other routes are forced to travel in older, unreliable buses. To mitigate this issue, MSRTC has arranged for additional buses in good condition from other depots across the state.
The introduction of new e-Shivai, Shivneri, and “Lal Pari” buses by MSRTC has been delayed, and these vehicles are now expected to arrive either during or after Diwali. The demand for MSRTC services has increased by 1.5 times, owing to various concessions offered to passengers.
MSRTC officials emphasized the need for long-term planning, noting that the corporation should not only focus on providing temporary buses for Diwali but also work towards a permanent expansion of its fleet to better serve the growing number of passengers.
