MSRTC starts Volvo bus service between Pune-Aurangabad

Times of India: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) flagged off its air-conditioned Volvo bus service on the Pune-Aurangabad-Pune route on Monday. This comes after MSRTC’s successful running of similar services on the Pune-Mumbai-Pune and Pune-Nashik-Pune routes.

Around four Volvo buses will ply daily on this new route. Two buses were introduced on Monday, while the remaining two buses will begin plying from April 23. Eight departures from Pune and eight departures from Aurangabad will be scheduled between 6 am to 11 pm on a single day.

The buses will leave from the Shivajinagar bus stand at 6 am, 11 am, 4 pm and 8.30 pm. After the introduction of the two additional buses, four more trips at 8 am, 1 pm, 6 pm and 11 pm will be scheduled in a day. The buses will have a pick-up halt at Yerawada and will cover a distance of 233 km to Aurangabad in four hours, with a single halt at Ahmednagar. The buses will maintain the same timings of departure from Aurangabad too. The fare will be Rs 325 for adults and Rs 165 for children.

“With more than 50% occupancy, the service received a good response on the inaugural day itself. Almost 36 commuters travelled from Aurangabad to Pune in the first trip scheduled at 6 am. Also, reservation
facilities are available at all reservation centres of the MSRTC,” said an MSRTC official at the Shivajinagar bus stand.

This Volvo service to Aurangabad has been a long-pending demand of passengers. “The route has also registered a significant increase in the number of daily commuters over the last few years. Over 3,000 passengers travel daily on this route, including a large section of professionals and students. Pune-Aurangabad-Pune is the third route offering AC Volvo bus services, after Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik,” said the official.

Meanwhile, the bus which left for Aurangabad at 11 am from Pune broke down near Sanaswadi, around 30 km from here. An MSRTC official told TOI that the breakdown was due to a technical snag and another bus was arranged for the commuters.

Also see:

• May 24, 2010 -- MSRTC launches semi-luxury buses on Pune-Aurangabad route (1)
• April 9, 2012 -- Shivneri may ply on Hyderabad, Goa routes (0)
• February 6, 2012 -- MSRTC makes drivers sign safety pledge, hires guards (2)
• January 25, 2012 -- Breaking news: Morning ‘bus’ attack in Indian city of Pune (0)
• January 11, 2012 -- MSRTC starts Shivneri bus service to Udaipur (0)