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Maratha bandh: Maharashtra state transport bus operations in Pune come to a standstill
Pune division has three major ST bus depots in Pune including Swargate, Shivajinagar and Vallabhnagar. While Swargate and Shivajinagar are in Pune city, Vallabhnagar caters to the passengers in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The control centre located at the Pune railway station caters mainly to buses going to Mumbai and few other parts of Maharahstra.
The Maharashtra state transport (ST) buses on all routes originating from Pune were shut on Thursday. Police personnel were present on all terminus points from early Thursday morning to avoid untoward incidents.
Pune division has three major ST bus depots in Pune including Swargate, Shivajinagar and Vallabhnagar. While Swargate and Shivajinagar are in Pune city, Vallabhnagar caters to the passengers in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The control centre located at the Pune railway station caters mainly to buses going to Mumbai and few other parts of Maharahstra.
Yamini Joshi, divisional controller of MSRTC Pune, had a meeting with the head of rural police on Wednesday evening and decided to not run any buses from the city on Thursday.
"We have around 400 buses leaving the depot and the same number entering the depot everyday. The total revenue collected daily is between Rs 20,00,000 to Rs 22,00,000 at Swargate depot," said Sachin Shinde, senior depot manager at Swargate depot.
Similarly, Anil Bhise, depot manager at Shivajinagar depot, said, "There is an average of 800 buses coming in and same number of buses going out of the depot. The total revenue during normal seasons is anywhere near Rs 30,00,000 and Rs 32,00,000. When the operation is shut for a day, that much revenue from one place is completely lost."
A relatively smaller operation of Vallabhnagar also remained shut. "We have a daily number of 150 buses coming in and same number going out," said SN Bhosale, depot manager of Vallabhnagar depot. The daily revenue of the depot is between to Rs 6,00,000 to Rs 6,50,000.
While Swargate depot employees close to 475 employees, Shivajinagar depot employees around 600-650 employees and Vallabhnagar has a staff of around 275 people. Most of them being drivers and conductors, they were given the day off. However, the mechanics and clerical staff were asked to be on duty. The drivers and conductors who had left for overnight outstation journeys were asked to stay in their positions for the day.
