While the number of passengers travelling from Pune state transport (ST) stands to various parts of the state has risen due to the ongoing festive season, there has been a simultaneous increase in the number of illegal agents finding their way inside these stands to lure passengers with cheaper fares. As repeated complaints and actions taken in the past have not borne fruit, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) Pune division has now deployed special squads to identify these illegal agents and take action against them.
There are already special squads and guards at all three ST stands in the city namely Swargate, Shivajinagar (now shifted to Wakdewadi) and Pune station. And now, the special squads constituted by the MSRTC will be helping ST stand officials during festive rush hours.
As per the information shared by the MSRTC Pune division, the touts and their travel agencies park their buses and other small vehicles outside the ST stands even as the agents lure the passengers away from the ST stands with cheaper fares. The MSRTC can only catch these agents but cannot take any action against them and so, they are handed over to the local police stations. There have been incidents in the past when illegal agents or their groups have attacked MSRTC staffers at the ST stands, and police complaints have been lodged against the touts.
MSRTC Pune division controller Ramakant Gaikwad said, “We had received complaints from passengers and also our staff about the increasing number of touts inside the ST stands, especially during the festive season and long weekends. As a large number of people travel for Raksha Bandhan and the August 15 connecting holidays, there is a heavy rush across ST stands in the Pune division. To offer better service and take action against the poaching of our passengers from inside the ST stands, we have decided to deploy special squads at our main ST stands.”
{{/usCountry}}MSRTC Pune division controller Ramakant Gaikwad said, “We had received complaints from passengers and also our staff about the increasing number of touts inside the ST stands, especially during the festive season and long weekends. As a large number of people travel for Raksha Bandhan and the August 15 connecting holidays, there is a heavy rush across ST stands in the Pune division. To offer better service and take action against the poaching of our passengers from inside the ST stands, we have decided to deploy special squads at our main ST stands.”
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