For Ganesh festival, MSRTC operates over 2,000 special buses from Mumbai to Konkan

MUMBAI, (PTI): More than 2,000 special buses are being operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) from Mumbai and neighbouring districts to Konkan in light of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, an official said on Wednesday.

At least 956 of the 1,356 special buses will leave for Konkan from evening, and of these, 320 buses will depart from Mumbai, 527 from Thane and 109 from Palghar, the official said.

The MSRTC operated around 300 extra buses from the three regions on Tuesday and 113 more will be operated on Thursday, he said.

Over 2,000 special buses were booked for Ganesh Chaturthi from Konkan and these buses are being operated since September 1, the official said.

According to the MSRTC, the administrations in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts have asked the transport body to submit a list of passengers travelling on its extra buses.

”The district administrations of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg have sought a list of passengers travelling on the special buses. When these buses reach their destinations, the lists will be submitted to the local administration,” Shekhar Channe, managing director and vice-chairman of the MSRTC said.

Ratnagiri district collector Dr BN Patil told PTI that passengers who are not fully vaccinated or do not have report of RT-PCR or antigen test conducted 72 hours before travel, will be subjected to tests on their arrival by special MSRTC buses or private buses. (PTI)