GSRTC will operate around 2,400 additional buses and more than 8,000 extra trips across Gujarat during the Diwali travel rush, helping passengers travelling from cities such as Surat and Ahmedabad to reach destinations in Saurashtra, North Gujarat, central Gujarat and Kutch.
The additional services will run alongside regular bus operations from November 4 to 7, according to details reported by Gujarat Samachar. The plan is aimed at handling the seasonal increase in demand as residents, including large numbers of workers based in Surat, travel to their home districts for the festival.
Surat is expected to see particularly strong demand on routes towards Bhavnagar, Amreli, Junagadh and Rajkot. GSRTC will also operate additional services from Surat towards Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Mehsana, Patan and Palanpur. Passengers travelling towards Panchmahal and other parts of North Gujarat will also be covered under the special arrangements.
The announcement is significant for Surat’s migrant workforce, including diamond workers from Saurashtra who traditionally travel home during Diwali. The extra services are intended to supplement regular capacity on routes where passenger demand rises sharply during the festival period.
The Ahmedabad division has separately planned 1,800 extra trips between November 2 and 8. These services will connect Ahmedabad with destinations including Sanand, Botad, Amreli, Junagadh, Rajkot and Bhuj. Additional buses will also be operated towards Dahod, Godhra, Balasinor and Santrampur.
GSRTC said extra services would be added according to demand on routes where passenger numbers are higher. On selected routes, passengers will be able to use online booking facilities. Advance and current online reservations will be available through the corporation’s official website, while bookings and information will also be accessible through GSRTC divisional offices and depots.
The arrangement places additional responsibility on the state transport system to manage concentrated, short-duration travel demand across multiple corridors. Unlike routine intercity travel, the Diwali movement is spread across several districts and involves both large urban departure points and smaller home-town destinations.
Passengers seeking information about bus operations can contact GSRTC’s 24-hour toll-free helpline at 1800 233 666666. The corporation’s additional services will operate during the announced festival travel window, with further buses to be deployed on routes where demand requires increased capacity.
