Vasai-Virar ST buses will operate 584 special services to the Konkan region for passengers travelling home for Ganeshotsav, with departures being arranged in phases through Sunday from depots in Vasai, Arnala and Nalasopara.
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has introduced the additional services to support the seasonal movement of passengers from Vasai, Virar and Nalasopara, where a large number of residents have roots in the Konkan region. The demand for travel to hometowns typically rises during festivals, including Ganeshotsav and Shimga, as well as during the summer holidays.
Of the 584 buses planned from the Vasai-Virar area this year, 549 will depart from the Nalasopara bus depot. The remaining services will be operated from the Arnala bus depot. The report did not specify the route-wise distribution of the buses or the number of passengers expected to use the services.
The additional buses are intended to provide safer and smoother travel for passengers heading to the Konkan during the festival period. Services are being released in stages rather than departing from the three depots at one time, according to the report.
The transport corporation has also made group booking available for passengers travelling together. The facility is intended to help groups reserve seats for festival travel, although the supplied report does not provide details of booking windows, fares, vehicle schedules or the exact destinations covered.
The special services reflect the recurring seasonal pressure on transport networks linking Mumbai-region urban settlements with the Konkan. For residents of Vasai, Virar and Nalasopara, the arrangements provide an additional public transport option during one of the year’s busiest periods for intercity travel. The corporation’s phased operation of the services will continue through Sunday.
