MSRTC buses fail to attract passengers in Pune; safety measures not in place

The buses were earlier plying with half capacity (22 seats) because of the coronavirus restrictions

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) which started operating all buses with 100 per cent passenger capacity from Friday is seeing less travellers amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

HT visited both the ST stands — Swargate and Shivajinagar — on Friday and noticed that there was not much crowd. (HT PHOTO)

The buses were earlier plying with half capacity (22 seats) because of the coronavirus restrictions. The state transport bus service resumed service for common public without police pass from August 21.

At the prominent ST stands like Swargate and Shivajinagar, which is now shifted to Wakdewadi, bus drivers and conductors were struggling to attract passengers.

HT visited both the ST stands — Swargate and Shivajinagar — on Friday and noticed that there was not much crowd. Most of the buses were plying half-empty, except for routes like Satara, Kolhapur, Baramati, Solapur and Aurangabad which were running to its capacity.

There were no arrangements of sanitisers at any of the stands for the public. Alternate seating arrangements were marked on benches, but people failed to follow safety norms. Social distancing was hardly maintained at any of the ST stands. Some passengers and even drivers were not wearing a face mask.

On the other hand, private luxury bus agents were found roaming inside the stands and offering passengers low fares than MSRTC. Some passengers were even willing and taking private buses which were parked outside the ST stand premises, at a distance.

“There is lack of safety arrangements at ST stands. If we pay such high fares for Shivneri bus, then the safety of passengers must be priority,” said a passenger Kushal Das travelling to Dadar (Mumbai) from Swargate ST stand.

“The decision of plying buses with full capacity is not right. It is risking the lives of passengers. If a Covid positive person is travelling then co-passengers will be at a high risk of getting infected,” he said.

“Each bus is sanitised from inside and outside and only then sent on the route. We have also provided sanitiser and face mask to our drivers and conductors on duty. At all the ST stands soon we will make arrangements for sanitisers for the public,” said MSRTC Pune divisional controller Yamini Joshi.

“Yes, private agents are entering our stands to attract passengers, but our on-duty guards are identifying and warning them,” she said.