Pune -
MSRTC’s Konkan push hits regular bus services across state
Dheeraj Bengrut
dheeraj.bengrut@htlive.com
September 15, 2026
PUNE: Large-scale diversion of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses to the Konkan region for the Ganpati festival has disrupted regular public transport services across several parts of Maharashtra, leaving passengers facing longer waiting periods, overcrowding and limited bus availability. To meet the heavy demand for travel towards the Konkan region, the corporation has deployed additional buses from depots across the state, including Pune, Mumbai and other regions, by reducing or temporarily cancelling several regular services on routes serving other destinations.
The impact has been particularly noticeable over the past one week, as the MSRTC began diverting buses from regular routes in preparation for the Ganpati festival, which begins today (September 14). With the festive rush building up over the past several days, buses from various depots have been deployed for additional services towards Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and other parts of Konkan. While the move has increased transport availability for passengers heading to Konkan, commuters travelling to other destinations have been left with fewer regular bus options.
The additional arrangements have involved cutting or curtailing regular schedules of several depots across the state to operate special and additional services towards the Konkan. As a result, passengers travelling towards western Maharashtra, Solapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati and other regions have reported longer waiting times and overcrowding with regards to the remaining services. The situation has caused particular inconvenience during the festive period, when demand for public transport is already high.
Shripad Hiremath, a passenger travelling to Solapur, said, “There are already many passengers travelling during the Ganpati period, but buses on our route have become fewer. We have been waiting for longer periods and the buses that do arrive are heavily crowded. The festive rush should have been managed by adding buses without severely affecting regular routes.”
{{/usCountry}}Shripad Hiremath, a passenger travelling to Solapur, said, “There are already many passengers travelling during the Ganpati period, but buses on our route have become fewer. We have been waiting for longer periods and the buses that do arrive are heavily crowded. The festive rush should have been managed by adding buses without severely affecting regular routes.”
{{/usCountry}}Another commuter Preeti Mhatre travelling to western Maharashtra said that passengers on non-Konkan routes are being forced to bear the impact of the special arrangements. “We understand that additional buses are required for people travelling to Konkan, but regular passengers also need reliable transport. The cancellation and reduction of buses has created uncertainty, especially for people travelling for work and other essential purposes,” said Preeti.
Passengers travelling to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati and other parts of the state are also facing difficulties as the availability of regular MSRTC services is less. In several locations, commuters have had to wait for extended periods or depend on overcrowded buses, while those travelling on longer routes have faced uncertainty over the availability of scheduled services.
MSRTC chairman Pratap Sarnaik said that the corporation is committed to ensuring that passengers travelling for Ganpati receive adequate transport facilities. “Ganpati is an important festival for the people of Maharashtra and our priority is to ensure that every passenger can reach their destination safely and comfortably. We have made special arrangements and deployed additional buses wherever the demand is high. The MSRTC is working to balance the requirements of Konkan-bound passengers with the needs of commuters travelling on other routes,” Sarnaik said.