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Shifting MSRTC stand back to Shivajinagar will take at least a year
The shift will take at least one-and-a-half years according to both Maha Metro and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials
PUNE: While the Maharashtra government recently promised to shift the Wakdewadi state transport (ST) bus stand to its original location namely Shivajinagar, the shift will take at least one-and-a-half years according to both Maha Metro and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials.
Maha Metro public relations officer (PRO) Hemant Sonawane said, “The Shivajinagar bus stand was shifted to Wakdewadi to carry out the underground metro work. Earlier, it was decided that the Maha Metro would develop the MSRTC bus stand but later, the MSRTC decided to develop the bus stand on its own. The MSRTC needs to prepare a development plan (DP) and Maha Metro will help develop the bus stand as per the agreement.”
Whereas a source from MSRTC said, “Let the policymakers first decide whether they want to develop the Shivajinagar depot on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis or with the help of the Maha Metro. First, we need to take a call and appoint the agency.”
A senior officer from MSRTC on condition of anonymity said, “It will take at least one-and-a-half to two years to develop the Shivajinagar bus depot. It is not possible to shift the bus stand while developing the depot.”
Recently, Pune MLAs Siddharth Shirole and Madhuri Misal demanded that the MSRTC bus stand be shifted back to its original location namely Shivajinagar, which enjoys connectivity to all locations in the city unlike Wakdewadi. Minster Dada Bhuse then promised to shift the bus stand back to Shivajinagar and said that a meeting would be called between MSRTC and Maha Metro officials for the purpose.
