The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) Pune division has decided to scrap 200 old buses that have crossed their age limit (usually 15 years) even as it is set to add 50 more electric buses (e-buses) and 80 brand new state transport (ST) buses that will ply on routes across the state from Pune.
According to the information shared by the MSRTC, there are 448 ST buses in the Pune division currently of which, 200 continue to run on the roads despite passing their age limit. Hence, it has been decided to get new buses and scrap the old ones and the MSRTC has undertaken the process for the same.
Presently, the Shivai e-bus service is only between Pune and Ahmednagar and the Pune division has only two e-buses, while an additional 50 e-buses will be added to the fleet. New routes to Solapur, Kolhapur and Aurangabad will be started, and infrastructure required for running these buses such as charging stations, and maintenance and repair workshops will be set up in these cities too.
Ramakant Gaikwad, MSRTC Pune divisional controller, said, “During Diwali, all our buses were running across routes and we got a good response from passengers after the pandemic. So, to offer better services and with passenger safety our priority now, we are going to scrap 200 old buses and get 80 new ST buses for the Pune division. At the same time, we are also going to get 50 more e-buses for the division.”
{{/usCountry}}Ramakant Gaikwad, MSRTC Pune divisional controller, said, “During Diwali, all our buses were running across routes and we got a good response from passengers after the pandemic. So, to offer better services and with passenger safety our priority now, we are going to scrap 200 old buses and get 80 new ST buses for the Pune division. At the same time, we are also going to get 50 more e-buses for the division.”
{{/usCountry}}“The tender processing for these new buses is currently going on and they are going to come on a contract basis with the MSRTC. Whereas till now in this year, only the normal red ST buses have generated a revenue of Rs110 crore for the Pune division. So, there are more passenger footfalls for normal ST bus services all across the state,” Gaikwad said.