The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will operate 584 special buses from Vasai-Virar to the Konkan for passengers travelling home for Ganeshotsav, with services being released in phases until Sunday, according to a report by Loksatta.
The additional services are intended to support passengers from Vasai, Virar and Nalasopara, where a large number of residents have roots in the Konkan region. The report said travel to native villages increases during major festivals, particularly Shimga and Ganeshotsav, as residents of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region make the journey home.
The special buses will depart from the Vasai, Arnala and Nalasopara bus depots. Nalasopara will account for the largest share, with 549 buses scheduled to operate from the depot. The remaining services will be released from the Arnala depot, the report said.
MSRTC has also made group booking available for passengers travelling together. The facility is intended to help groups reserve seats for festival travel while enabling the transport corporation to organise additional services in response to demand.
The seasonal operation reflects the pressure that major festivals place on intercity transport networks serving Mumbai’s extended urban region. Vasai-Virar’s large migrant and regional population creates a recurring demand for direct road links to the Konkan, particularly during periods when families travel together.
The services are being introduced in stages, with the release of the 584 buses scheduled to continue until Sunday. The report did not provide route-wise schedules, fares or the exact number of buses assigned to each Konkan destination.
