People board a bus at Swargate bus station
Last Sunday, state transport minister and MSRTC chairperson Pratap Sarnaik announced that the procurement of 5,000 Lalpari buses had been finalised. Sarnaik told TOI on Tuesday that these 5,000 buses would be inducted in phases over the next six months, after which the old buses would be scrapped. “We need to scrap around 5,000 buses at present. MSRTC’s fleet size, which once comprised over 16,000 buses, has now dipped to around 14,700.
We are also working on concrete maintenance plans,” he said. The change should start from Swargate bus station, which is still in a shambles,” said another frequent commuter. He stated that the new buses would ease pressure on the existing fleet. Once this is done, breakdowns will definitely come down. “Enough of big announcements. We need to see real change on the ground.
Pune : Delay in procurement of buses has forced MSRTC to revise its scrapping policy and keep its ageing fleet on the road, triggering more than 60,000 breakdowns annually since the 2022–23 fiscal. “More than 5,000 buses have crossed their standard operational lifespan of 12 to 13 years. Delays in procuring new buses have forced Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to allow vehicles to operate beyond 15 years.
Breakdowns are, therefore, inevitable,” a senior MSRTC official said.
I frequently travel to Mumbai by MSRTC buses, but I think I will opt for private operators now,” said Sudhir Kande, a bank employee from Kothrud. On the ground, there is little change,” said frequent commuter Pankaj Lohe, a private-sector employee. In another incident, the front door of a bus detached at a depot in Palghar. A breakdown extended a friend’s journey to Solapur by more than two hours a couple of months ago. “During the monsoon and heavy showers, several buses either break down or force passengers to travel under leaking roofs. MSRTC officials and the minister seem to only make big announcements.