Pune ST buses will add 1,200 services between November 4 and 7 to manage the Diwali travel rush, with special operations planned from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Swargate and Shivajinagar for passengers heading to different parts of Maharashtra.
The Pune division of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will earmark more than 900 buses for Vidarbha, Khandesh and Marathwada, while 300 additional buses will serve western Maharashtra and the Konkan region. The services are intended to accommodate the large number of people who travel from Pune to their hometowns during the festival period.
Pune ST division controller Arun Siya said the additional buses would operate from Swargate, Wakdewadi in Shivajinagar and Pimpri-Chinchwad depots. “From November 4 to 7, we will operate 1,200 additional buses from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Swargate and Shivajinagar for Diwali travellers. Passengers should book their tickets in advance and opt for safe travel with the corporation,” Siya said.
Online reservations for the special buses have already begun. Regular services will continue during the period, and the ST administration said it had made arrangements to manage the expected increase in passenger traffic at the bus stations.
The largest allocation is planned for passengers travelling towards Marathwada, Vidarbha and Khandesh. More than 900 special buses for these regions will operate from the Pimpri-Chinchwad depot this year. The arrangement changes the departure point used in earlier years, when additional services for these destinations operated from the Khadki Cantonment area.
The move to Pimpri-Chinchwad is intended to improve access for passengers. The depot is directly connected to the Metro network, while a nearby ground has been hired to park the additional buses. The Wakdewadi area opposite the bus stand could not be used because the land belongs to the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority. The earlier Khadki location was considered inconvenient for many passengers.
The remaining 300 additional buses will operate from Swargate for passengers travelling to western Maharashtra and the Konkan region. Special services will also run from the Shivajinagar bus station at Wakdewadi.
The seasonal demand reflects Pune’s role as a major employment, education and business centre. Large numbers of people living in the city travel home for Diwali, while railway reservations generally fill up nearly two months in advance. As train availability becomes limited closer to the festival, demand for state transport buses rises sharply.
The additional operations are designed to reduce overcrowding and passenger inconvenience during the peak travel window. MSRTC has advised travellers to reserve tickets in advance and use the corporation’s services for their journeys. The special buses will run from November 4 to 7 alongside the regular schedule.
