MSRTC Updates,Developments,Photos & Discussions

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation is established by State Government of Maharashtra

http://www.msrtc.gov.in/msrtc_live/images/logo.jpg

M.S.R.T.C. Buses

Total Buses 15500
Simple Buses 14022
City Buses 651
Semi Comfortable 544
Mini Buses 199
Deluxe Buses 48
Air Conditioned 26
Midi 10

M.S.R.T.C. Offices

Central Office 1
Regional Offices 6
Central Workshops 3
Central Education Centre 1
Printing Press 1
Vibhagiya Karyalaya 30
Agaare 247
Bus Stops 570
Margastha Nivare 4000

Source (www.msrtc.gov.in)

Mercedes Benz - 'Shivneri' given free for a trial run departs from Dadar to Swargate

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cc O..P. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30580679@N06/)

MSRTC Shivneri... Aurangabad - Pune

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side elevation of MSRTC Shivneri

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MSRTC Kinglong-Cerita

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MSRTC Shivneri goes Green

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MSRTC's new B7R 9400

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MSRTC's Mercedes Benz Shivneri

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Finally, bus depots to get metal detectors
Source (http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/may/060511-news-pune-MSRTC-metal-detectors-bus-depots.htm)

It is widely known that the prime accused of the 2010 blast, Himayat Baig, had alighted at the Shivajinagar depot before the blast, yet the MSRTC paid little heed to several frantic letters sent by the city police to beef up security in the terror-prone areas.

The depots at Shivajinagar, Swargate and Pune railway station were easy targets for any miscreant. Chief Security and Vigilance Officer RR Mangaonkar said, "Hand-held metal detectors (HHMD) and door-frame metal detectors (DFMD) will soon be installed at these points in the coming months."

Each depot will have one hand-held and a door-frame metal detector along with a dedicated staff to monitor their operations. A hand-held detector comes for Rs 6,000 and the door-frame one costs Rs 10,000, depending upon their make and sophistication. The proposal to put CCTV cameras at bus depots, which was sent around seven months ago, is still pending with the MSRTC headquarters in Mumbai.

A senior MSRTC official on condition of anonymity said, "The corporation is currently in a dire financial crisis. This is why we are taking time to purchase the CCTV cameras. It should ideally be approved after the metal detectors are installed."

A Delhi-based company, Depech Devices Pvt Ltd, was awarded the contract in December last year, but according to sources, some of the equipment had to be sent back as they developed technical snags while being installed at certain bus depots in Mumbai. "This delayed the overall procedure", the official added.
MiD DAY had extensively reported about the utter lack of security at the depots in its series 'Transport Travails' in January.

Mangaonkar added that the metal detectors are currently being installed and tested at the Parel and Dadar bus depots in Mumbai and Pune is scheduled next. Bus depots at Aurangabad, Nanded, Nashik and Nagpur districts are also to receive these equipment.

MSRTC B9R

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cc K$H!T!J

MSRTC 2x2 Express

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cc Binai Sankar (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/view?q=msrtc&psc=G&filter=1#5526465808976060098)

MSRTC 2x2 Express

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cc Sujith Bhakthan (https://profiles.google.com/sujithbhakthan/photos)

MSRTC Shivneri heading to Pune

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cc Sujith Bhakthan (https://profiles.google.com/sujithbhakthan/photos)

This is 64 seater MSRTC "Parivartan Bus"

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another Parivartan Bus

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photos- Binai Sankar (https://picasaweb.google.com/binaiks/MSRTCSNew64Seater#5244419599453208258)

ASHWAMEDH FROM MSRTC

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photo- rigved deo (https://picasaweb.google.com/rigved12/Surprise#)

Semi Luxury- air suspension MSRTC bus

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cc rigved deo (https://picasaweb.google.com/rigved12/Msrtc#5556372589905437234)

MSRTC "Ashwamedh"

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cc Cv- Chandu (https://picasaweb.google.com/rcrao.bandela/MSRTC#5585004639365660434)

Nice Pics of State BUS.
Pls let me know status and updates of renovation work @ CBS Aurangabad. The bld structur is still 30-40 years old. I heard that it will going to be renovate soon. pls let me know all the updates ASAP

MSRTC Mahabus

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Source (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/view?q=msrtc&psc=G&filter=1#5442221372600696306)

Tata hispano and normal ST bus

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OP Coolguyz

Love these Minibuses introduced by MSRTC for shorter routes on narrow roads

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10 new MSRTC buses for inter-city travel
Hindustan Times (http://www.hindustantimes.com/10-new-MSRTC-buses-for-inter-city-travel/Article1-696016.aspx)

In a bid to make travelling by air-conditioned buses more affordable, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided to add 10 inter-city semi-luxury buses to its fleet. The transport authority had earlier started one semi-luxury AC bus on the Dadar-Pune route and has now decid
ed to add 10 more such buses, on the five selected routes, to link cities.

The MSRTC had introduced the semi-luxury AC bus on October 27 between Pune and Mumbai, under the brand name of 'Sheetal'.

"The bus that we ran as a pilot project has showed a 75% occupancy for every trip and it costs much lesser than the AC Volvo buses. We have identified five routes on which such buses will be a success," said Deepak Kapoor, managing director and vice chairman, MSRTC.

The selected routes are: Mumbai-Satara, Thane-Pune, Pune-Aurangabad, Pune- Nashik and Jalgaon-Pune. A ticket for a Sheetal bus costs Rs180, while that of a Shivneri bus costs Rs270. The price difference is a sizeable Rs90.

A Sheetal bus has 39 seats and is equipped with air conditioning and air suspension. It has been doing 2 trips a day between Pune and Mumbai.

The MSRTC is the only state transport body in the country that has semi luxury AC buses in its fleet.

The Thane-Pune, Pune-Aurangabad and Pune-Nashik routes have Shivneri buses plying on them, but according to MSRTC officials, it was identified that commuters travelling by non-AC Asiad buses desired to travel on AC buses, but with lower fares.

"Our target for Sheetal buses is the lower middle class, which may not want to travel by Volvo buses. The smaller cities can be linked by Sheetal buses to make AC travel affordable as well as improve commuters' aspiration, so may later start preferring Volvos," added Kapoor.

Borivli-Pune MSRTC Kinglong-Cerita at Thane Vandana bus stand

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Pune-Dadar MSRTC Kinglong-Cerita at Foodmall, Pune-Mumbai Expressway

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Pune-Dadar MSRTC Mahabus (TATA) at Foodmall, Pune-Mumbai Expressway

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cc SJT (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7808570@N06/3737685061/sizes/z/in/pool-1579255@N21/)

Can anyone kindly indicate from where the APSRTC buses originate/Terminate from Mumbai . As per my knowledge there is no proper bus station in mumbai, The one in Dadar is under a flyover.
How is the one in Central?

MSRTC's Mahabus: King long built, makes a short hop to Pune.

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Can anyone kindly indicate from where the APSRTC buses originate/Terminate from Mumbai . As per my knowledge there is no proper bus station in mumbai, The one in Dadar is under a flyover.
How is the one in Central?

they start from Kurla

As per my knowledge there is no proper bus station in mumbai, The one in Dadar is under a flyover.
How is the one in Central?

There is, not one, but four proper bus stations well within Mumbai - Mumbai Central, Parel, Kurla Nehru Nagar and Borivali Nancy Colony.

Most APSRTC buses depart from the one at Mumbai Central. Dadar Bus Station is only for the Pune buses, and some local services.

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nagpur - Amravati , Nagpur - Aurangabad , Nagpur - Pune has been fully ignored by msrtc .
daily 25-30 volvo min are running from nagpur to pune. But MSRTC has NIL volve.

100 % occupancy round the clock..

MSRTC Volvo plan hits roadblock

It was supposed to be an important step towards expansion of a premium air-conditioned Volvo bus services for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

However, more than two months after managing director Deepak Kapoor declared that the MSRTC will operate its AC Volvo services on the Mumbai-Pune-Bengaluru route “technical problems” have ensured that the services will not start.

“We have no problem starting one-way services, from Mumbai to Bengaluru via Pune. We have our own infrastructure in Mumbai and Pune so booking tickets, parking buses or providing any amenities to passengers can be done easily. However, the problem is with the return journey. If a passenger wants to make a journey from Bengaluru to Mumbai, via Pune then the necessary infrastructure or the supporting personnel required for ensuring that services operate smoothly, is not yet in place,” said a senior official from the MSRTC, who spoke with DNA on the condition of anonymity.

Sources in the MSRTC said that the delay could be attributed to resistance to the entry of MSRTC’s buses in Bengaluru by the ticketing agents who service private bus operators and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) buses.

A spokesperson for the MSRTC, however, claimed that there was no such resistance and services on the route will be started soon. “We hope to resolve all the pending issues and launch the MSRTC’s AC Volvo services on the route in the next week.”

DNA (http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_msrtc-volvo-plan-hits-roadblock_1546745)

Summer vacation: MSRTC plying more buses

PUNE: The Maharahstra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is plying around 890 buses to minimise the extra rush of passengers during the summer vacations. Bus trips to destinations like Nagpur, Akola, Buldhana, Jalgaon, Nashik, Aurangabad and Kolhapur have registered a significant response till now.

Besides these, additional trips are being planned for tourist destinations in Konkan including Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Dapoli and Alibaug, according to MSRTC officials. Bus trips to Dadar, Borivli and Thane have increased as well.

MSRTC's top officials in Pune division stated that the corporation has registered a revenue of Rs 90 crore in last 50 days from the bus trips. An official said that on-line reservation facility is available for all 890 bus trips, wherein people can book a journey ticket from home and office.

TOI (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-27/pune/29590713_1_msrtc-bus-trips-booking-counters)

MSRTC will launch luxury buses to B'lore, Goa

MUMBAI: From next week, you can travel to Bangalore and Goa by special luxury buses run by the MSRTC, which have seats that can be inclined up to 130 degrees.

Earlier, passengers found overnight journeys on Volvos uncomfortable as the seats could only be inclined 110 degrees.

"Passengers can now sleep comfortably on seats that can be inclined up to 130 degrees. It will almost be like a sleeper coach," said an MSRTC official.

Two of these buses will ply the Mumbai-Bangalore route, while the others will be on the Mumbai-Goa route. For the new buses, the MSRTC has reduced the number of seats usually found in Volvo buses. While a regular Volvo bus has 45 seats, the new buses have five seats less. This means that the corporation may increase bus fares to recover costs. According to an estimate, the Mumbai-Goa bus fares could be around Rs 1,000 per passenger.

A final announcement on fares and timetables will be made during the weekend, the official said.

MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor said he was confident that the new buses would run to full capacity. "There is a great demand for buses to Bangalore and Goa. We plan to procure 60 AC Volvos this year and a significant number of them will run on these two routes."

Kapoor said that his next big project would be the introduction of mild steel in all MSRTC buses. The state transport buses, both ordinary and semi-luxury, are made of aluminium, which causes maximum injuries to passengers in the event of an accident. The casualties are high in such buses,

"If the buses have a mild steel body, it will ensure safety of passengers," he said. Five such buses will be introduced by June-end.

Each mild steel bus will cost Rs 1.5 lakh more than an aluminium bus. However, the corporation is not bothered about incurring losses as long as commuters are safe and secure, Kapoor said.

The MSRTC also plans to increase the fleet of its economical Sheetal semi-luxury AC buses which ply various routes, including Mumbai-Pune.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/MSRTC-will-launch-luxury-buses-to-Blore-Goa/articleshow/8654433.cms)

MSRTC luxury buses to B'lore

MUMBAI: MSRTC launched its semi-sleeper luxury AC Volvo to Bengaluru on Monday. The seats can inclined upto 130 degrees.

"We want to provide comfortable overnight journey to passengers and it is faster to reach Bengaluru by road,'' said a MSRTC spokesperson. The 41-seater Volvo left Mumbai Central at 4 pm and will reach Bengaluru on Tuesday morning (10 am). "It will cover a distance of 1016 kms via Swargate (Pune), Satara, Kolhapur, Belgaon, Hubli, Haveri, Harihar, Davangiri and Tumkur to reach Bengaluru,'' he stated.

The bus for its return journey will start from Bengaluru at 7 pm and reach Mumbai Central depot the next day at 1 pm. "The MSRTC will provide free bottled water and blankets to all passengers. The fare for an adult would be Rs 1,400,'' he said.

MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor said, "It is for the first time ever that we have seats which can be inclined upto 130 degrees." The TOI was the first to report about such Volvos hitting Mumbai roads in June. "Passengers usually complained of backaches due to the existing seats which could be inclined upto 110 degrees. We pushed it down further by 20 degrees and provided a good head rest,'' he said. Sources said that the corporation plans to push the seat further by another ten degrees.

Though the present fare is Rs 1,400, it will be reduced in coming weeks, a MSRTC official said. "Depending on response from passengers, we will try to bring down the fare."

The MSRTC also plans to launch new AC Volvos for Goa in next few days. These buses too will have similar seats and will have newspapers and bottled water for passengers.

Reservation for the buses can be done at the authorised MSRTC booking centres and also online through its website (www.msrtc.gov.in). "With this new semi-sleeper airconditioned service, the growing demand of the IT sector passengers of Pune, Satara, Kolhapur and Bengaluru have been fulfilled. I appeal to passengers to take maximum benefit of the service,'' Kapoor said.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/MSRTC-luxury-buses-to-Blore/articleshow/8754186.cms)

MSRTC Ac buses to introduce LCD TVs, onboard catering

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will introduce LCD TVs and onboard catering on its air-conditioned buses soon.

The LCD TV service, conceived by MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor, is expected to be operational by July-end, the Corporation sources said.

Soundless advertisements will be shown on the TV screens, and the contractor who will install them would pay MSRTC a fixed amount. Tenders have been floated.

In addition, films will be screened (with sound). As of now, MSRTC operates 90 Ac buses, but it plans to add sixty more within two months, sources said.

The idea behind introducing this service is to increase the income.

"We are also trying to bring catering service on our Ac buses, snacks, cold drinks will be provided to passengers. This way, time spent during halts at roadside eateries will be saved," an MSRTC official said.

DNAINDIA (http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_msrtc-ac-buses-to-introduce-lcd-tvs-onboard-catering_1554057)

MSRTC's Volvo B9R Ashwamedh at foodmall, look at her,glowing in the sun

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excellent

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/7641/yo134.jpg (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=419068)

Mercedes Benz Shivneri on khandala ghat on MPE

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Volvo shivneri

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http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/7641/yo134.jpg (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=419068)

MSRTC's Volvo B9R Ashwamedh

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©Team BHP

More Volvos from Thane, Borivli to Pune

MUMBAI: From Wednesday, AC Volo buses to Pune will be available every half an hour from Thane and for every hour from Borivli ST bus depot. A spokesperson of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) said, "There is a huge demand for Pune-bound Volvo buses from those staying in Thane, Dombivli, Kalyan, Borivli, Mira Road and Vasai. Most of them had to come to Dadar to catch a bus as there weren't enough buses to cater to a large number of passengers at Thane and Borivli. But now, we have almost doubled the number of bus trips at both the depots."

While the number of bus trips from Thane to Pune has increased from 20 to 32 trips daily, it has gone up from seven to 15 trips at the Borivli depot.

"We had complaints from passengers that the buses available at Thane/Borivli are in bad condition. So, we have decided to run new buses for the suburban passengers," said MSRTC managing director Deepak KapoorThe MSRTC's Mumbai-Pune Volvos are also called Shivneris. The corporation had last week increased the fare from Rs 270 to Rs 320."We are now plying only Shivneri Volvos from Thane and hope that maximum passengers benefit from the increase in frequency of buses," the spokesperson said.

TOI (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-13/mumbai/29768274_1_shivneri-volvos-semi-luxury-msrtc)

Mumbai-Bengaluru bus travel gets cheaper by Rs 400

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on Friday slashed bus fare on the Mumbai-Bengaluru route by Rs 400 on weekdays-Monday to Thursday. The corporation has also reduced the number of stops in Karnataka. As a result, the buses will cover the distance faster than trains. Apparently, this is being done to compete with buses run by the Karnataka government on the same route.

MSRTC runs Volvo buses on the Bengaluru route. "These first-of-its-kind buses have seats which can be inclined up to 130 degrees, thus providing airplane-like comfort to passengers during their overnight journey," said MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor.

The bus leaves Mumbai at 1 pm and reaches Bengaluru at 7 am the next day. On its return journey, the bus leaves from Bengaluru at 4.30 pm and reaches here by 10.30 am the next day. The fare for the journey was initially Rs 1,400, but this has now been reduced to Rs 990 on weekdays. "During weekends, we will charge Rs 200 extra, which is Rs 200 less than the earlier fare," Kapoor said.

TOI (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-16/mumbai/29781223_1_bus-fare-msrtc-volvo-buses)

MSRTC to add 10 more Sheetal buses to its fleet

PUNE: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will soon add 10 more Sheetal buses with AC facility to its existing fleet. The MSRTC also has called for tenders for fabrication and moulding of around 675 semi-luxury buses to be introduced on various routes.

The MSRTC has been plying the Sheetal buses on Pune-Dadar route for the last year. An official from the MSRTC said these buses are semi-luxury type with AC facility. The services are available at a cheaper rate compared to the Shivenri (AC Volvo) services, especially for those passengers who cannot afford the Volvo fare and wish to travel in AC buses.

The introduction of additional Sheetal buses in the fleet would be a step to extend its services to other routes like Nahsik, Aurangabad and Kolhapur, said an official. The plan to introduce the Sheetal buses on the new routes is under consideration. The details are yet to be fixed, the official added.

The MSRTC recently invited tenders from bus body builders for fabrication and moulding of 675 semi-luxury and 10 Sheetal buses. The semi-luxury buses are plying on almost all routes, except smaller routes within a district. The advance booking facilities for semi-luxury bus trips are made available on the MSRTC website. Around 30% to 40% of total seats for Volvo buses are booked via internet booking facility, an official said.

He added that the MSRTC has already introduced multi-axle Volvo buses on the Pune-Mumbai route, while a Volvo bus having more comfortable seats is introduced on Pune-Bangalore route. The ordinary bus made in the steel body is recently introduced on Pune-Ganpatipule route.

To improve the response for the Pune-Bangalore Volvo services, the MSRTC has now established one-to-one contact with the IT companies in Hinjewadi infotech Park. A letter has been sent asking the companies to communicate the information about the service to their employees, said an MSRTC official. There is also a plan to increase the trips on the Swargate-Dadar route by next month.

Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/MSRTC-to-add-10-more-Sheetal-buses-to-its-fleet/articleshow/9339457.cms)

ST union slams rule for 6kmpl average for all buses

WARDHA: The compulsion for bus drivers to use not more than 10 litre diesel over a 60km run has created friction between drivers, their union and the Wardha division of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

The ST employee union has protested the rule by the Wardha division ST administration, claiming there are many defects in buses, which makes it impossible for drivers to achieve such high average. The union has demanded cancellation of the new rule for drivers by the Wardha division of state transport. They will also go on an indefinite hunger strike in front of Wardha bus stand from August 20, said Rashtriya ST Kamgar Congress Sanghatana's Wardha depot president Ratnakar Nandanwar.

Talking to the TOI, Nandanwar said that ST buses are frequently overloaded far beyond capacity. Also, there are frequent stops for these buses along the route, which make it impossible to achieve the prescribed average of 65km an hour. Actually, the average never crosses 50km an hour, he said.

Moreover, there are several other reasons like leaks and bad conditions of roads and vehicles, which hamper the fuel average, said the union president. He has given a memorandum to depot manager Rajabhau Deshpande threatening a strike if the order is not withdrawn immediately.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/ST-union-slams-rule-for-6kmpl-average-for-all-buses/articleshow/9534551.cms


MSRTC to install CCTVs at 40 depots

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is not only expanding its fleet of buses, but has also introduced a slew of security measures in the backdrop of the July 13 serial bomb blasts. in Zaveri Bazar, Opera House and Dadar.

The corporation will install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras at 40 crowded bus stations across the state.

The maximum number of cameras will be installed at the Mumbai Central bus station, which sees daily departures to Pune, Nashik and other cities. CCTVs will also be installed at bus depots in Parel, Nehru Nagar in Kurla (E) and Borivli, to name a few. Officials said that three to five cameras will be installed at "strategic locations" at each station and footage of passengers will be monitored in the control room.

It also plans to install CCTVs in some of its AC buses plying popular routes in the coming months. It has also installed metal frame detectors and deployed security personnel at prominent entry and exit points to bus stations.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-31/mumbai/29835271_1_msrtc-cctvs-ac-buses

I would request you to not use photos of Rigved-Deo as uploaded by him on Picassa. They are in copyright infringement of photos as uploaded by fellow enthusiasts in the MSRTC group on Flickr.
We are in process of talking to him to bring them down.

Khalil Sawant
Flickr-MSRTC-Group-Admin

MSRTC increases fare by Rs200 for all cities

After it raised regular ticket fares last month, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has now jacked up the prices of its popular bus passes which allow unlimited travel to any location in the city for either four or seven days. Similarly, the price paid per kilometre for buses hired on "contract basis" has also been increased.

For the passes, the average increase has been between Rs150 and Rs200. For contract services, the increase is between Rs2 and Rs3, but since the payment of at least 300 kilometres is mandatory, the effective price increase in contract service is between Rs600 and Rs900.

As per an official statement released by the MSRTC, during the peak commuting period (between October 15 and June 14), the tariffs for adults in the regular, semi-luxury and inter-state services for the 4-day passes are now Rs610, Rs695 and Rs750, respectively. And for the same category of bus services for 7-day passes, the revised tariffs are Rs1,065, Rs1,215 and Rs1,310, respectively.

In the non-peak commuting period (between June 15 and October 14), the tariff for adults in the regular, semi-luxury and inter-state services for the 4-day passes are now Rs565, Rs645 and Rs695, respectively, and for the same category of bus services for 7-day passes, the revised tariffs are Rs985, Rs1,125 and Rs1,215 respectively.

The hike has been implemented from August 11. Previously, on July 8, the MSRTC had implemented a hike of over 10 % for regular tickets after diesel prices were increased by Rs3 per litre for diesel. The diesel price hike reportedly led to a financial burden of about Rs34 lakh on the transport undertaking.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_msrtc-increases-fare-by-rs200-for-all-cities_1576019

1,500 extra buses to deal with Ganesha rush in Maharashtra

For devotees of the elephant-headed god, there is reason to rejoice for what seems like divine intervention on the part of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

During five days in late August, the MSRTC will deploy 1,500 additional buses to facilitate convenient travel for commuters who plan to visit their native places in several districts and talukas of the Konkan region during the Ganapati festival.

According to information provided in an official statement recently released by the MSRTC for the Mumbai and Thane region, 1,500 additional buses will carry commuters across the Konkan from August 27 to August 31.

Commuters can book their tickets on a group or on individual reservation basis. To facilitate the return journeys of commuters, there will also be additional buses provided between September 6 and September 23. Computer-based reservations of these return journeys will begin a month before the actual journey.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_1500-extra-buses-to-deal-with-ganesha-rush-in-maharashtra_1576020

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MSRTC may start Shivneri bus service to Shirdi

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has taken steps to start the Shivneri AC service on the Pune-Shirdi route. The decision was taken after a survey undertaken by the MSRTC recently. The officials would now prepare a proposal that will be submitted to the head office. The transport body has already submitted a proposal for starting the Shivneri service on the Pune-Surat route.

At present, the MSRTC operates its Shivneri buses to Dadar, Thane, Borivali, Nashik, Aurangabad, Sangli and Kolhapur.

Shirdi being a pilgrimage centre, the route is always busy. Besides, passengers have for long demanded an AC bus on this route. A basic survey was done by the MSRTC, considering the demands. The survey considered the daily and weekly passenger load on the route and the number of existing bus trips. The recommendations about bus timings and frequency would be prepared based on the survey. An official said, "We would forward the recommendations to the head office."

The MSRTC's Pune division recently submitted a proposal to the head office to start the Pune-Surat AC Shivneri bus service. Besides, more such buses have been added for Dadar, Thane and Borivali routes.

Meanwhile, the MSRTC has decided to conduct surprise inspections on Shivneri buses. They will primarily check the buses for seat faults. As per the complaint cell, the MSRTC receives about 30 complaints every day through e-mails. Many are pertaining broken newspaper holders on the seat back and lack of hygiene.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/MSRTC-may-start-Shivneri-bus-service-to-Shirdi/articleshow/9877911.cms


More takers for MSRTC Volvos

MSRTC recorded a rise of 2 lakh more passengers on its Pune-bound Volvos and semi-luxury buses across the state. This increased revenues by Rs 54 crore in August as compared to the same month last year. Said MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor, "We have introduced more Volvos and semi-luxury buses and attracted passengers through various schemes and by providing value-added services. Our online bookings have been a hit with commuters."

He stated that several passengers preferred to travel by the state-run buses instead of private buses which were not punctual, the operators were unaccountable and did not provide value-added service. For example, the MSRTC has brand new buses on the Mumbai-Pune route (with some multi-axle Jumbo buses) and plans to introduce more passenger-friendly services such as on-board catering and LCD screens.

"We raked in Rs 369 crore last month,which was a substantial rise" an official said. MSRTC MD Deepak Kapoor said, "We have introduced more Volvos and semi-luxury buses. Our online bookings have been a hit with commuters." tnn The number of kms travelled per bus also rose by 10 km/bus. "In August last year, each bus on an average travelled 338 kms while a month ago, each of our buses travelled an average of 348 kms. This was also instrumental in increasing our earnings,'' the spokesperson stated.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-04/mumbai/30112310_1_semi-luxury-private-buses-online-bookings


State transport revenue gets a festive boost

Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation recorded an increase of Rs 54 crore this festive season

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has recorded an increase of Rs 54 crore in its revenue this festive season. In August last year, the transport utility recorded a revenue of Rs 315.63 crore. With the special buses plying this year, the distance covered has increased by 95 lakh kilometres. Last year, the figure stood at 15.36 crore kilometres during this time of the year.

“The additional buses for the Ganpati rush have done the trick and the special service has been hugely successful. The cancellation of buses have also been brought down this year. While last year, each bus had covered an average of 338 km, this year the average for every bus has gone up by at least 10 km. The cancellation rates have also been brought down from 2.9 to 2.0 per cent,” said an official from MSRTC.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/State-transport-revenue-gets-a-festive-boost/842269/

Security on Shivneri buses to be stepped up

PUNE: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is tightening the security and vigil for its Shivneri (AC Volvo) bus services, plying from the Swargate and Pune station bus termini to various destinations, including Mumbai, Kolhapur and Sangli.

The security measures are being beefed up after intelligence inputs were received about possible threats to luxury buses on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.

The MSRTC has deployed a controller and security personnel at the platforms to inspect passengers' luggage before it is kept in the dickey of the bus. Besides, the nearest police stations are requested to conduct visits to the Shivneri termini. The Pune division has also planned to submit a proposal to the head office for installation of luggage scanners at the termini.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-20/pune/30179642_1_ac-volvo-shivneri-pune-division

MSRTC to ply 3,000 more buses during Diwali (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-17/pune/30288912_1_msrtc-buses-transport-utility)

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will run as many as 3,000 additional buses from Pune to various destinations to accommodate the extra rush of passengers during the Diwali season. The buses will leave from various points in the city, such as the College of Engineering, Pune, ground at Shivajinagar, Swargate, Vallabhnagar terminus in Pimpri, and Shivajingar bus terminus.

According to MSRTC officials, of the 3,000 buses, 1,400 buses will ply only between October 22 and 25. The remaining buses will ply from October 21 to November 13. The MSRTC will ply more buses if there is a demand from passengers, the officials added.

MSRTC's proposal for Volvo bus service to Ahmedabad, Surat awaits state nod (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/MSRTCs-proposal-for-Volvo-bus-service-to-Ahmedabad-Surat-awaits-state-nod/articleshow/10628455.cms)

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation's (MSRTC) proposal to commence air-conditioned Shivneri (Volvo) bus services from Pune to Surat and Ahmedabad is still to receive a nod from the government. MSRTC's Pune division submitted the proposal to its headquarters some five months back; however, the officials here say that they are yet to receive any communication from the head office.

Citing heavy rush of commuters on Pune-Surat-Baroda-Ahmedabad route, the MSRTC's Pune division in May 2011 prepared a proposal to commence Volvo services on this route. "The proposal was prepared taking into account various parameters including the occupancy of route, journey hours, route and stoppages and the fares," an official added.

Except Ahmedabad, the MSRTC at present runs semi-luxury buses on daily basis on Pune-Surat and Pune-Baroda route. According to the officials, both routes register good occupancy in a week. At present both the routes have daily one trip departing from Pune. The buses are run from the Shivajinagar bus terminus.

Besides the MSRTC, private bus operators also ply daily buses to various destinations in Gujarat including Surat, Baroda and Ahmedabad. They claim that the responses for these services are good.

"Since the trains running to the destinations in Gujarat are often over-crowded, commuters prefer bus travel. The demand remains high all through the year," said a private bus operator.

An official from MSRTC said that other than the destinations within Maharshtra, the MSRTC is running its Volvo services between Pune and Bangalore. Surat and Ahmedabad would be an addition in the inter-state services.

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I happened to travel by MSRTC ordinary buses some days ago. I have to say that the idea of changing all ordinary buses to 2 by 2 seating is really welcome. Has improved the whole comfort & feel of the bus. Thumbs up for MSRTC for that. Now only thing to do is to do something about rattling windows.

Mumbai Ahmedabad AC Volvo bus service to be launched by MSRTC from 15 December via Vadodara, Surat (http://gujaratmoney.com/2011/11/18/mumbai-ahmedabad-ac-volvo-bus-service-to-be-launched-by-msrtc-from-15-december-via-vadodara-surat/)

Maharastra State Road Transport Corporation(MSRTC) will operate AC Volvo buses from Mumbai to Surat, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Pune from 15th of December 2011.

This is for the first time when MSRTC is going to operate AC Volvo buses to Gujarat and Rajasthan. MSRTC also plans to operate similar service to Nagpur and Hyderabad in later stage.

Six new semi-sleeper AC buses and four AC Volvos are ordered by MSRTC to start the services in December. The MSRTC has presently AC bus service to Bengaluru.

Presently MSRTC runs ordinary and semi-luxury buses to Surat and Vadodara in Gujarat.

Many private operators run Mumbai Ahmedabad Volvo service and attract passengers.

MSRTC VOLVO ON ITS WAY TO PUNE

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/69637125@N07/6331513126/in/photostream

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6019/6322337172_b5130100eb_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47407281@N07/6322337172/)
अमरावती-औरंगाबाद (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47407281@N07/6322337172/) by Ram the bus fan (http://www.flickr.com/people/47407281@N07/), on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6223/6263590539_8fc683ec13_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54868649@N07/6263590539/)
MSRTC Shahada Dahanu Bus (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54868649@N07/6263590539/) by sankyy (http://www.flickr.com/people/54868649@N07/), on Flickr

MSRTC to run AC buses between Pune and Nagpur

PUNE: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will launch a semi-luxury Volvo AC bus service between Pune and Nagpur from December 8. The Shivneri bus will leave from Pune (Shivajinagar terminus) every day at 7 pm and reach Nagpur the next day at 8 am.

The bus will travel via Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Akola and Amravati, covering a distance of 752 km. To compete with private luxury buses, the fare for the MSRTC bus service will be Rs 1,210 for adults. The seats of the semi-luxury buses can be reclined up to 145 degrees to provide comfort to passengers during the night journey, the officials added.

MSRTC's vice-chairman and managing director Deepak Kapoor said that currently, the transport corporation was operating semi-luxury and ordinary bus services on the route, but there was a long-standing demand from passengers for an air-conditioned service. "The cultural capital of Maharashtra, Pune, is now better connected with the second capital of the state, Nagpur, with MSRTC's elite bus service,'' Kapoor said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/MSRTC-to-run-AC-buses-between-Pune-and-Nagpur/articleshow/10987525.cms

MSRTC starts Pune-Nagpur Volvo service

In an attempt to provide comfortable journey to its passengers on longer routes, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) started Shivneri Volvo bus service on Pune-Nagpur route from Shivajinagar ST depot on Thursday.

The 41 seater bus was inaugurated after a puja was performed by the first passenger, Raman. This bus left for Nagpur at 7 pm carrying 26 passengers on its first trip.

Senior depot manager of Shivajinagar ST depot Vilas Patil said, “We have fixed the fare at Rs1,210 and we will provide a water bottle and a newspaper to each passenger. Earlier, there were semi luxury buses operating on the route. Now, for the first time, we have started Volvo bus service.’’

“Since private operators are charging exorbitant fares on this route, we are expecting a good response. The private operators increase the fare during the vacations, but we will maintain the same fare even during the vacations,’’ he added.

The bus will depart for Nagpur from Shivajinagar ST depot every day at 7 pm and will reach Nagpur, the next day at 8 am. From Nagpur, it will leave at 7 pm every day and will reach Shivajinagar at 8 am on the next day.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_msrtc-starts-pune-nagpur-volvo-service_1623620

MSRTC launches smartcard facility

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has started a smartcard facility, which will replace the existing paper passes for state-run buses.

Said MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor, "We have 29,000 machines issuing electronic tickets in our ST buses. Now, these machines will also scan smartcards." The facility was inaugurated by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan in Nagpur during the weekend.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-20/pune/30537511_1_smartcard-msrtc-deepak-kapoor

Expansion of Mumbai terminus at Swargate bus depot on hold

The Maharshtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is still to begin work on the expansion of the Mumbai terminus at the Swargate bus depot even though the proposal was sent to headquarters for final approval about a year ago. Sources said the proposal is held back for now as the state government is in a discussion to develop a transport hub in Swargate.

"The government recently held a meeting to discuss the transport hub proposal. The local authorities , along with the MSRTC and the PMPML officials, were invited for the meeting," said a source. As per the preliminary discussions, the transport hub would be a bigger project and could focus on streamlining the existing traffic at MSRTC's Swargate bus depot, PMPML bus terminus , as well as allotment of space for the BRTS project and the proposed metro rail project.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-18/pune/30530859_1_swargate-bus-shivneri-service-msrtc-official

NMC asks MSRTC to take over city buses

NAGPUR: City civic body has approached MSRTC with a request to take over the city bus service as the private operator Vansh Nimay failed to resolve its staffers' ongoing strike that entered fifth day on Wednesday. Worse, even the make-shift arrangement made by Vansh Nimay to ply 91 buses appeared collapsing as the kin of jailed 596 drivers and conductors stepped up attacks on the buses. The city commuters continued to face nightmares.

Confirming the development, MSRTC's regional manager Suryakant Ambadekar told TOI that on Wednesday noon, assistant municipal commissioner and executive director of Nagpur Mahanagar Parivahan Ltd (NMPL) Mahesh Morone met senior officials of state corporation to discuss the crisis.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-22/nagpur/30546217_1_msrtc-officials-suryakant-ambadekar-nmpl

MSRTC says it’s ready to take over city bus service

NAGPUR: Refuting rumours that they cannot take over the city bus service, MSRTC has made it clear that it is ready to take over the city bus service subject to total handover by NMC.

Suryakant Ambadekar, regional officer of MSRTC, told TOI that NMC has sent a letter asking MSRTC to provide drivers and conductors to run the buses only during the strike period. "MSRTC functions under the state government and cannot engage the staffers in such a manner. Besides, it would have led to law and order situation if we engage staffers during the strike by private operator's staffers. MSRTC is ready to take over the service completely if the state government gives directives," he said.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-27/nagpur/30561192_1_suryakant-ambadekar-msrtc-city-bus-service

MSRTC starts Shivneri bus service to Udaipur

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will start the Pune (Swargate)- Udaipur Shivneri daily bus service on January 11. It will cover a distance of about 958 kilometers, travelling through three states --- Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The first trip will be flagged off on Wednesday 2 pm, by additional district collector Ganesh Patil.

An MSRTC official said, "It is a semi-sleeper bus . The bus will leave Swargate every day at 2 pm and will travel via expressway to Borivali, Surat, Baroda, Ahmedabad to reach Udaipur at 6 am next day. The return bus will leave Udaipur at 5 pm and reach Pune around 9 pm the next day. The fare is Rs 1,590 per ticket."

The MSRTC recently introduced a similar service on the Pune-Nagpur route which is operated from Shivajinagar.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/MSRTC-starts-Shivneri-bus-service-to-Udaipur/articleshow/11442691.cms

Transport utility scouts for consultants to raise profits

The state road transport operator is scouting for consultants to help the agency improve its financial performance and bring back the three-digit profit figures, which have dwindled to two digits over the past couple of years.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has invited expressions of interest from consultants on or before January 15. “Our revenue is increasing, but the expenses are increasing at a faster rate, mostly due to a rise in diesel prices and a labour settlement, leading to higher employee costs,” an MSRTC official said.

In 2010-11, MSRTC’s profit was Rs 29 crore even though its revenue rose to about Rs 5,000 crore from Rs 4,370.16 crore during the same period. “The expenditure on diesel alone shot up by Rs 250 crore because of increase in fuel prices, while expenditure on materials such as tyres rose by nearly Rs 20 crore,” the official said.

read more:- http://www.indianexpress.com/news/transport-utility-scouts-for-consultants-to-raise-profits/898242/

Poor response to MSRTC's Udaipur; B'lore services garner low response (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Poor-response-to-MSRTCs-Udaipur-Blore-services-garner-low-response/articleshow/11560269.cms)

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation's (MSRTC) inter-state services to Udaipur and Bangalore have garnered poor response from commuters and failed to meet expected passenger load targets. The MSRTC's Volvo (Shivneri) services on Pune-Mumbai, Thane and Borivli routes have, however, registered high passenger load factor and generated good revenue.

A Volvo service to Bangalore that was introduced six months ago has registered about 50% load factor, while a similar service to Udaipur introduced eight days ago has registered about 25% load factor.

MSRTC officials say that poor marketing could be one of the prime reasons for low responses. The officials are now planning aggressive marketing strategies to increase load factor of both services.

The corporation introduced daily Bangalore service via Kolhapur, and Udaipur service via Borivli-Surat-Vadodra-Ahmedabad. A senior MSRTC official said, "We are expecting about 50-55% load factor for Udaipur; and about 70-75% load factor for Bangalore service. At present, both the trips are way below expected targets; and steps are required to be taken to increase passenger load."

"The Bangalore service was introduced to meet the demand of commuters from IT companies who frequently travel between Pune and Bangalore. Though it is registering more than 70% passenger load on weekends, we are expecting a further increase on week days. Udaipur service was introduced eight days back. Though, initial response is low, we expect it go up as more and more passengers become aware about the service," said an official.

MSRTC is now planning to explore various options to reach commuters, including SMS service, display of banners and announcements at the MSRTC bus depots as well as approaching various federations and communities.

The regular commuters, however, feel that MSRTC needs to adopt a flexible approach in deciding fare structure to attract more commuters. Bhavesh Shah, a commuter said, "Flexibility in fares would attract more commuters on inter-state routes. Fares for week days and off-season could be kept lower. Also, publicity through internet is essential."

Hi friends i am new to this thread. Happend to travel by MSRTC Shivneri few months back. started my journey from Dadar bus stand. It was second schedule of the day for pune via Pimpri - Chinchwad. The bus left at 6.15Am and reached pune at 9.45Am. Overall a very quick and comfortable journey,no overspeeding and the driver maintained a steady speed of 100-105kmph.
I think Shivneri is the best option by road to reach pune, simply because they don't waste time picking up passengers untill all the seats are occupied unlike private operators who won't leave unless all seats are filled. MSTRC should also start some shivneri services to pune station from Borivali, currently there are only shivneri for Swargate from Borivali.

What is response (load factor) of Pune- Nagpur Shirvneri Semi Sleeper bus? I have heard that it is getting good response on weekends. Anybody can please give updates on this.

MSRTC is planning to bring Seetal(Air conditioned semi luxery) buses in their fleet. There will be 10 new such buses coming in March end. These buses will be available on routes like "Nashik-Pune", "Pune-Amravati", "Jalgaon-Pune","Pune-Nanded", "Nashik-Kolhapur".
The fair for these buses will be lower than the Shivneri (Volvo) buses but more than the current Asiad(Semi Luxery) buses.
These Sheetal buses will be having outer look as Volvo buses.

MSRTC starts AC buses to Hyderabad

Like on the Nagpur-Pune route, the MSRTC has started operating air-conditioned Volvo buses between Nagpur and Hyderabad (480km) every day.

Rajiv Ghatole, MSRTC's Nagpur divisional controller, informed that the semi sleeper AC Volvo would leave Nagpur at 8.30pm from Ganeshpeth bus stand. It would reach Hyderabad the next day at 7am. In the return direction, the bus would start at 9.30pm and reach Nagpur at 8am the next day. The buses would pass through the newly constructed four-lane national highway of Jam, Hinganghat, Pandharkawda, Adilabad and Nizamabad.

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has also been operating similar Volvo buses to Nagpur but with higher fares. APSRTC bus will start from Nagpur at 9.30pm and reach Hyderabad the next day at 8am while from Hyderabad it will start at 8.30pm and reach Nagpur next day at 6am.

"After Pune, there was a demand from passengers to start air-conditioned services to Hyderabad. The MSRTC has kept its fare at Rs 837 per adult to make the service competitive as APSRTC has been charging Rs 880 on the same route," said Ghatole.

Ghatole said the response for the Volvo buses on the Nagpur-Pune sector has been very good. "We have kept the fares fixed at Rs 1,210 even during the festival season," he said. "We will also not be changing the fares to Hyderabad."

MSRTC has also introduced SMS-based e-ticket confirmation and reminders for online booking. Now, when a ticket will be booked online for the air-conditioned Volvo service on both Pune and Hyderabad sector, the user will receive an SMS confirming the reservation with details. Further, an SMS reminding the person of his journey will be sent four hours prior to the scheduled time.

New bus stand at Wardhaman Nagar

To cater to passengers in East Nagpur, MSRTC has renovated the bus depot at Lakadganj and converted it into a terminus. Nagpur divisional controller Rajiv Ghatole said that almost 105 buses will start from here for places like Bhandara, Gondia, Aheri, Sironcha, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and Yavatmal.

After halts at Mohta Petrol Pump, Subhash Putla Square, Telephone Exchange Square, Gangabai Ghat Square, Jagnade Square etc, the buses will come to the Ganeshpeth bus stand. Bus time tables have been displayed at all these stops.

From Wardhaman Nagar bus stand, people can also travel to Ganeshpeth to board buses for Amravati, Akola and other places.

"Monthly bus passes and other administrative work will be done at the new bus stand between 9.30am and 5pm," Ghatole said.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/MSRTC-starts-AC-buses-to-Hyderabad/articleshow/12551402.cms

Mini termini on cards for Sangvi, Swargate (in Pune)

Pune: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is considering setting up one mini termini each in Sangvi and Swargate areas.
The existing MSRTC termini at Swargate, Shivajinagar and Pune railway station have reached a saturation level with increasing bus operations. Among the various methods being considered to reduce the burden are developing a fiveacre plot in the Sangvi area and a similar portion of vacant plot at Swargate, both owned by the MSRTC.
Moreover, the administration feels that the new bus termini would benefit passengers from local areas since they would not have to travel all the way to the existing termini.
“The administration feels that steps are required to ease the burden at the existing termini. The proposals for the new termini are being discussed, though we cannot commit a time as to when the operations would begin,” said a senior official from the MSRTC, Pune division.
On an average 3,000 buses operate every day from the three MSRTC termini. Swargate has the highest operations of about 1,500 buses, followed by Shivajinagar (1,000 buses) and Pune station (500 buses).
Besides, there is the daily additional burden of buses coming in from other states at these termini.
Sources said the termini remain over-crowed, especially during evening hours, with buses often getting delayed as there are no free platforms.
The official said, “The MSRTC holds about a five-acre plot in the Sangvi area. Recently, a drive was undertaken to remove encroachments from this plot. A plan is being prepared as to how the land can be developed into a terminus.”
The official said that passengers from the Sangvi, Aundh, Baner-Balewadi areas will benefit most if a new terminus is established in the Sangvi area. The terminus will help increase bus operations to Dadar, Borivli, Thane and other locations in Mumbai.
The Swargate bus terminus could come up on a vacant plot of land behind the MSRTC’s divisional office. A source said though the proposal to develop a terminus here has been there since the last couple of years, it is only recently that discussions have moved in a positive direction. The new Swargate terminus will also help operate services to destinations in south Maharashtra.

TOI (http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIPU/2012/06/20&PageLabel=3&EntityId=Ar00303&ViewMode=HTML)

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Welcome dost,hope to see more updates from you :cheers:

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i love this

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अमरावती-औरंगाबाद (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47407281@N07/6322337172/) by Ram the bus fan (http://www.flickr.com/people/47407281@N07/), on Flickr

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MSRTC Shahada Dahanu Bus (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54868649@N07/6263590539/) by sankyy (http://www.flickr.com/people/54868649@N07/), on Flickr
this livery is also so good

Shivneri Dadar-Pune

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7628477966_122cf4414d_h.jpg^^

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pic : Lomat Times

http://www.asianage.com/mumbai/now-msrtc-buses-get-pantries-315

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation’s (MSRTC) Shivneri buses on the Mumbai-Pune route will soon have pantries catering to passengers onboard. These buses will henceforth not make a halt at the food court on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
“We have got the board’s approval to start pantries in our buses. To begin with, we plan to start it in the buses plying on shorter routes like Mumbai and Pune,” said Deepak Kapoor, managing director and vice-chairman of the MSRTC.
The idea to start this facility in MSRTC buses first came up in October 2010. However, it got delayed due to a difference in opinion with officers. The original plan was to have this service in all the buses plying the length and breadth of the state.
The argument was that, with the introduction of pantry inside the buses, the interiors will get dirty.
“The facility is also available on Rajdhani Express trains, which are able to keep the interiors clean. Finally a call was taken to push the project forward,” Mr Kapoor added.
Once snacks and drinks are introduced, these buses will run non-stop between the two destinations, thereby saving around 15 minutes of travel time between the two cities.
Furthermore, the MSRTC is studying air-conditioned buses with pantry and chemical toilet introduced by the Karanataka State Road Transport Corporat-ion in its six Airavat Bliss and Airavat Superia buses. Apart from this, the other features included are WiFi connectivity and individual television.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/msrtc-may-operate-konkan-luxury-bus-service/articleshow/20334464.cms

MUMBAI: Having failed to rope in private parties to operate its luxury bus service to Konkan from Mumbai and Pune, the Maharashtra government is toying with the idea of handing over the job to Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

The private tour operators have not shown interest in the project citing lack of infrastructure facilities in Konkan region, tourism department officials said. The feedback from the dry run of the bus from Mumbai to Konkan in December last year was not good. "Due to narrow roads, it was difficult to drive the Volvo buses," an official said.

"State Tourism Minister Chhagan Bhujbal is of the view that the bus service be operated by MSRTC on routes decided by the MTDC. The proposal is under consideration of the tourism department," he said.

With an aim to attract foreign tourists, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) had decided to start a luxury bus service to Konkan from Mumbai and Pune. MTDC had purchased five such Volvo buses, which have facilities like chemical toilets, fridge, oven, Wi-Fi, at a cost of Rs 5.48 crore.

Under the new proposal, one bus each will be operated in Nagpur for forest tourism, Aurangabad and the same for Nashik, Konkan, Mumbai local tourism and the fifth bus from Mumbai airport to Shirdi, Pune. "The proposal is yet to be finalised," the official said. The tourist package in Konkan will cover temples, beaches and sea forts.

Every year about 14 lakh foreign tourists arrive in Mumbai and then proceed to different parts of the country. "Our endeavour was to attract these tourists to stay back and enjoy the scenic beauty of Konkan region," the official said.

In the 12th Finance Commission, Rs 225 crore were allocated to tourism department for upgrading infrastructure, resorts and repairing of guest houses. Of this, Rs 5.5 crore were allocated for purchasing Volvo luxury buses.

Take a Maharashtra AC bus to Bangalore, pay half of private operators’ fare

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Take-a-Maharashtra-AC-bus-to-Bangalore-pay-half-of-private-operators-fare/articleshow/20357643.cms

The state transport body's AC Volvo sleeper bus service to Bangalore, which will start next week, will have a fixed ticket price of Rs 2,180 per passenger throughout the year. The amount will be half the fare of private buses, which charge as high as Rs 4,000 per passenger.


The MSRTC will launch the service on June 5, when the first bus will leave Mumbai at 2pm and reach Bangalore at 8am the next day. The return service from Bangalore will start at 4pm and reach Mumbai the next day at 10am.

"We are primarily targeting business commuters and software professionals as these buses will go via Pune and Kolhapur," said MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor. "We have 32 luxuriously furnished sleeper berths in the Volvos, which will ensure comfort," he added.

"Private operators may offer a lower fare, like Rs 2,030. But our fares will remain the same throughout the year, even during peak season and festivals," Kapoor said.

"We have appointed special agents in Bangalore to popularize the service. We expect buses to run packed as there is a huge demand," he added.

The colour and look of the bus will be the same as Shivneri buses that run between Mumbai and Pune. "We expect to target our loyal commuters on the Mumbai-Pune route and so we have decided to keep the same buses. The only difference will be the 32 sleeper berths," he said.

Kapoor also said that MSRTC is determined to introduce AC sleeper coaches on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route soon.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/slideshows/infrastructure/sleeper-ac-volvo-bus-service-from-maharashtra-to-bangalore-rolls-out/slideshow/20455452.cms