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Amid the ongoing Diwali festivities, lakhs of people travelled home for Diwali. The Pune division of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) recorded good earnings this festive season. Between October 16 and 18, the Pune ST division operated over 6,000 trips, ferrying nearly 2.5 lakh passengers and generating a revenue of Rs 6 crore. This marks an increase of Rs 2.10 crore compared to the same period last year.
According to the Pune ST Division, additional buses were deployed to meet the surge in passenger demand ahead of Diwali. Routes connecting Pune to Vidarbha, Marathwada, Khandesh and Konkan witnessed the highest rush. Extra services were operated from Swargate, Shivajinagar and Pimpri-Chinchwad depots to ensure smoother travel for commuters.
“Compared to last year, we saw around 900 trips to Marathwada this year, as against 600 earlier. Similar increases were noted on Vidarbha and Khandesh routes,” said Arun Siya, Divisional Controller, Pune ST Division.
Officials said that the introduction of new ‘Laal Pari’ and electric buses has significantly expanded the corporation’s fleet, allowing more trips and higher revenue. “Due to the increased number of buses, the Pune division was able to operate the maximum number of extra services during Diwali,” added Siya.
With queues of the iconic red ST buses seen across highways leading out of Pune, this year’s festive operations have not only brought convenience to passengers but also added a strong boost to the ST department’s coffers.
