Nashik: Bus services of the Nashik Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to Pune, Ahmednagar and Shirdi were suspended on polices advice at 9am on Tuesday, but resumed at 3pm after six hours.The services were halted after the city police told the MSRTC that Maratha community members had planned an agitation from Shinde village to Nashik Road.This affected the movement of seven buses for Swargate and nine buses to Shivajinagar (including three Jan Shivneri bues), Pune.Passengers were forced to opt for private buses and transportation to Pune. Businessman Samadhan Munde said, I had to attend a meeting at 3pm in Pune. I wonder why the MSRTC halted its service when private buses and cabs were plying. Officials said it decided to be cautious due to torching of buses because of the Maratha agitation. The MSRTC had also stopped buses coming from Pune to Sinnar and Sangamner to ensure safety of all. We also published the following articles recentlyMaratha quota stir: 13 MSRTC buses damaged since Sunday, 30 depots shutThe ongoing Maratha quota protests in Maharashtra have resulted in damage to at least 13 MSRTC buses over the past 48 hours. Nine buses were damaged on Sunday, while four were pelted with stones on Monday. As a result, operations in 30 out of the 250 MSRTC depots have been suspended. The protests are demanding job and educational reservations for the Maratha community, with hunger strikes and localized demonstrations taking place.Buse services in Thane disrupted by ongoing metro and infrastructure projectsOngoing metro and infrastructure projects in Thane have caused heavy traffic congestion, leading to canceled or shortened bus routes and inconvenience for passengers. Commuters traveling to areas like Borivali, Bhiwandi, and Ghodbunder Road have reported disruptions in bus services, with buses running behind schedule or getting canceled. Commuters have expressed frustration with increased waiting times, particularly during peak hours. Bus operators have acknowledged the challenges and have had to cancel services or terminate routes prematurely to maintain the overall schedule, inconveniencing passengers.Only e-buses will ply in Mahakumbh mela areaTo ensure an environmentally-friendly Mahakumbh event in 2025, the government plans to introduce electric buses on the mela campus, while diesel buses will operate in the surrounding areas. The state government aims to add 500 electric buses by then, either through purchase or contract from private firms. The UPSRTC will buy 100 electric buses in the first phase, with each costing around Rs 1.5 crore and requiring recharging every 250 kms. The buses will have 51 seats, VLTD, panic buttons, and will be connected to the integrated command control centre of the Corporation.

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