The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has started its bus service on about 40 routes within the Pune district at 50 per cent capacity.
Yamini Joshi, Pune Divisional Controller, MSRTC, said that they are using 55 buses at the moment with half the carrying capacity to ensure that the government’s social distancing guidelines are maintained.
The bus service is being offered at regular rates and does not require an e-Pass from police authorities, MSRTC officials told the Indian Express. The officials added that the response has not been encouraging, but they are hoping that it will pick up with the ease of restrictions.
The buses are currently operating from Pune to Baramati, Bhor, Shirur, Saswad, Narayangaon, Rajgurunagar, Indapur, Daund, Patas, Nira, Junnar, Alephata, Bhimashankar, Velha, Paud, Mulashi, and between Baramati-Bhigwan, Baramati-Walchandnagar, Baramati-Daund, Swargate-Velha, Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur, Narayangao-Junnar, and Junnar-Deole.
Meanwhile, Pune district reported 2,639 new coronavirus cases since previous evening, taking its case count to 1,05,523 on Saturday, a health official said.
The death toll due to the pandemic, on the other hand, reached 2,414 with 70 patients dying in the district since Friday evening, he said.
1,290 new cases were found in the Pune Municipal Corporation limits, which has recorded 64,576 cases so far.
At the same time, 1,961 patients were discharged from the hospitals, the official said.
