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MSRTC to increase buses, routes for Diwali rush this year
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) Pune division has decided to increase the number of buses and routes to handle the extra rush of Diwali passengers
PUNE Soon the rush of passengers travelling for the Diwali vacations, returning to hometowns and villages will begin.
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) Pune division has decided to increase the number of buses and routes to handle the extra rush of passengers. Though the division is currently running losses due to a low passenger count, it has planned to increase routes for Diwali this year.
How many more buses and routes has not yet been revealed.
“As Pune city has a large number of working people and students coming from outside they travel back to their hometowns for festival celebrations. So we have decided to increase number of buses and routes around 10 days before the festival starts,” said Ramakant Gaikwad, MSRTC Pune divisional controller.
“It will include various routes like Kolhapur, Satara, Aurangabad, Sangali, Nagpur, Panjim and others. There is heavy rush during the Diwali festival and following Covid norms passenger are allowed to enter in the buses. Our appeal to passengers is to follow all the safety protocols given by state government strictly for their own safety,” he added.
Over the last one year due to the pandemic there has been a considerable drop in the number of passengers travelling by MSRTC buses. Also for several months the bus service was closed due to the statewide lockdown.
Welcoming this decision, Rohan Nalawade said, “I am basically from Solapur and work here in a bank. Every year I travel to my village for Diwali. Only MSRTC bus goes to our village and there is no other alternative, so it’s good that they are increasing the number of buses for the festive season.”
