Pune: The induction of new buses and scrapping of ageing vehicles would significantly improve the efficiency of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik told TOI on Thursday.
Minister's Assurance on Fleet Improvement
"The MSRTC fleet is huge. Issues with some buses across the state do occur from time to time. However, the fleet has been steadily improving with the addition of new buses. Passenger complaints related to breakdowns and technical issues would reduce drastically by the end of this year," Sarnaik said.
The concerns followed a major accident involving two MSRTC buses at Bardoli in Gujarat on June 2. The accident led to the deaths of seven people and caused injuries to 40 others. Officials said the investigation into the incident was underway.
Officials Claim 70% Fleet Improvement
More than 70% of MSRTC's fleet will operate without major technical issues or delays by the end of the current financial year, claimed senior officials of the transport utility. The MSRTC currently operates around 16,000 buses. It is expected to induct nearly 2,600 electric buses during the current financial year.
Passengers Disagree with Optimistic Claims
The passengers do not agree. They continue to report frequent breakdowns, delays and poor maintenance. Mumbai resident Darshan Joshi, who travelled from Pune to Mumbai on May 31, recounted his experience on the last e-Shivneri service from Pune station at 11pm. "The bus had no air-conditioning despite being an e-Shivneri service. My fellow passengers repeatedly complained to the driver, but nothing was done. The bus stopped near the Khalapur toll plaza, which made passengers angry."
"The driver said a replacement bus could only come from Pune, nearly two hours away. We had no option but to continue the journey. I lodged a complaint with MSRTC, but in vain," Joshi said.
Social Media Highlights Safety Concerns
Questions over maintenance have also surfaced on social media. Recently, a passenger, Shubham Lal, posted a photograph on X showing an exposed wiring panel near the footrest of a seat on an e-Shivai bus while travelling from Pune to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Bus Stand Conditions Under Scrutiny
Many bus users also highlight the poor condition of bus stations. Regular commuter Saurabh Lal pointed to the poor state of the Hinjewadi Phata ST stand. He said, "Much has been discussed about improving bus stands, especially after the focus on Swargate in recent months. Yet facilities remain inadequate. Seating arrangements have been poor, and it remained unclear what development work was actually carried out."
Delays and Lack of Information Frustrate Commuters
Delays remain another major complaint among commuters. A Kondhwa resident, Abhijit Phadnis, said a Pune-Shirdi bus he was scheduled to travel on in March departed over 45 minutes late. "The bigger problem was the lack of information. Nobody could provide an update on the bus status. There is still no live tracking system. Many promises have been made over the past year, but it is time for implementing some of them," Phadnis said.
