E-Paper
Maratha protest: MSRTC bus services from Pune to Jalna disrupted
State transport (ST) buses (and cars) are being targeted and vandalised by angry mobs due to which hundreds of these buses have been cancelled as a precautionary measure
With protests erupting across Maharashtra in the wake of the Antarwali Sarati incident wherein the police resorted to lathi-charge after the residents of this village in Jalna district demanded reservation for the Maratha community, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus services have been severely disrupted for the last two days.
State transport (ST) buses (and cars) are being targeted and vandalised by angry mobs due to which hundreds of these buses have been cancelled as a precautionary measure. ST buses going to Ahmednagar, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Jalna, Beed and Latur are stuck at ST depots in Pune, Satara, Kolhapur and other districts. With the MSRTC cancelling more than 600 buses from Pune to these places, passengers are being forced to travel by private tourist buses at higher fares.
“Many buses going to Marathwada from Pune have been stopped in view of the safety of passengers and MSRTC employees. Approximately 600 buses have been stopped today (Sunday). Since morning, not a single bus has left from Pune for Jalna, Dhule, Ahmednagar, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Latur and other parts. Daily, around 15,000 passengers travel on these routes from various ST depots in Pune district. However, these buses have been held back in Pune to prevent any untoward incident/s,” said Kailash Patil, divisional controller of MSRTC Pune.
“I am working in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and my family stays in Pune, so I had come to Pune for Raksha Bandhan on Thursday. Today, I was to return to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar to resume work tomorrow but there are no ST buses at the Wakdewadi ST depot. Hence, I had to take a private vehicle which charged Rs600 per seat from passengers,” said Sagar Nimbalkar, a passenger.
After the lathi-charge at Antarwali Sarati village, 16 trains have been suspended. Trains passing through Pusad, Yavatmal, have been suspended and buses from Marathwada have been stopped from going to Yavatmal district, inconveniencing passengers no end.
