Maha: MSRTC seeks Rs 600 crore for 2,000 new buses

Maharashtra transport minister Anil Parab has sought funds to the tune of Rs 600 crore in the state budget 2020-21 to procure 2,000 new buses for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

The corporation, chaired by Parab, has already approved the proposal in its board meeting recently, a release here stated.

The MSRTC is one of the biggest public transport undertakings in the country, with a fleet of at least 18,500 buses that ferry over 65 lakh passengers everyday.

According to the release, the MSRTC had sought Rs 186 crore for new buses in the last financial year.

However, the state had alloted Rs 110 crore, with which the corporation managed to purchase 700 buses, 500 ordinary ones and 200 'vithai' pilgrimage buses to Pandharpur, the release stated.

Highlighting the rise in demand, Parab claimed the highest number of passengers use MSRTC buses to travel within 60 km radius between villages, talukas and districts.

"The MSRTC's 'Parivartan' buses ply continuously for such passengers. Hence, to improve the standard of this journey, the MSRTC has submitted a proposal seeking Rs 600 crore to buy new buses," Parab was quoted saying in the release.