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Pune: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has approached the state government seeking the transfer of the entire Aarey Dairy land at Wakdewadi for the development of a permanent and modern ST bus terminal. The proposal was submitted by the Pune division of the corporation on June 1.
MSRTC officials said the land could help create one of the largest bus terminals in Maharashtra and significantly improve facilities for thousands of passengers who use the Shivajinagar depot every day.
The Shivajinagar ST bus terminal has been functioning from the Aarey Dairy premises at Wakdewadi since 2020. The shift took place after the original depot land at Shivajinagar was handed over for the Pune Metro project. A new integrated terminal was expected to be developed as part of the metro project, but the plan did not move forward following changes in government and delays in agreements between the concerned agencies.
As a result, Pune is still waiting for a permanent ST bus terminal more than six years after the redevelopment process began.
MSRTC officials believe that the remaining Aarey Dairy land next to the existing terminal should also be transferred to the corporation. They say the additional space would allow the creation of a full-scale transport hub capable of meeting the city's growing transportation needs.
According to the corporation, only about 1.18 hectares of land remains available at the original Shivajinagar location, which is not enough for bus operations, workshops, parking areas and other essential facilities. In comparison, the Wakdewadi property covers nearly two hectares and offers enough space for a larger terminal, maintenance infrastructure, bus parking and accommodation for drivers and staff.
Arun Siya, Divisional Controller of MSRTC Pune, said the corporation has formally requested the state government to allot the Wakdewadi land. He said the available space would help MSRTC develop a modern transport hub with improved passenger amenities, better parking arrangements and operational facilities. He added that the project would benefit a large number of passengers travelling to and from Pune.
The proposal is important because the Shivajinagar depot is among the busiest ST depots in Maharashtra. It connects Pune with destinations across the state and handles heavy passenger traffic throughout the year.
Several categories of buses, including e-Shivai, Lal Pari, Jan Shivneri, Shivshahi and sleeper coaches, operate from the depot. More than 200 buses begin their journeys from the facility every day, while nearly 1,200 bus movements, including arrivals and departures, are recorded daily. The depot's buses collectively cover around 55,000 kilometres each day, making it one of the state's highest-performing transport centres.
If approved, the proposed terminal at Wakdewadi could become one of Maharashtra's most advanced and well-equipped ST transport hubs.
