Amidst the ongoing discord within the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra over decisions made during the tenure of the previous government led by Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, state Transport Minister and Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik has now blamed the former regime for the financial losses suffered by the state-run MSRTC.
Sarnaik was responding to a demand for extending concessions to journalists by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Speaking at a press conference in Dharashiv on Thursday, he stated, “Women and senior citizens were given travel concessions—50 percent discounts for women and free bus rides for senior citizens. As a result, the corporation is losing Rs 3 crore every day. This situation has arisen because of these concessions.”
He further added, “If we continue offering such concessions to everyone, it will be difficult to sustain the corporation. Therefore, I cannot consider this demand at the moment. MSRTC should expand its reach to every village, and I will work towards ensuring our buses serve new areas.” The decision by the Eknath Shinde-led government to extend concessions on MSRTC tickets for women and senior citizens had sparked concerns, especially since the corporation had been running at a loss for years and relied on state government funding to pay staff salaries. MSRTC operates a fleet of 15,000 buses, catering to over 55 lakh passengers daily across Maharashtra. The State Transport buses are a lifeline for those dependent on affordable modes of transport. They not only serve the cities and towns of Maharashtra but also cover approximately 44,000 villages across the state, in addition to offering services to neighboring states such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, and Karnataka.