Maharashtra To Purchase 25,000 Buses Over Five Years To Revamp Fleet As Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Approves Plan

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has announced a major fleet expansion plan, with plans to purchase 5,000 buses annually over the next five years, as reported by PTI.

This initiative will result in a total of 25,000 new buses by 2029, according to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. The state-run corporation will own these buses, which are set to enhance the state’s public transport network.

Sarnaik confirmed that state finance minister Ajit Pawar had given in-principle approval to the proposal during a review meeting for the fiscal year 2025-26.

With this approval, MSRTC aims to build a fleet of 30,000 buses by 2029, which will include 5,000 electric buses. The expansion is expected to provide bus services to every village in Maharashtra, improving accessibility and connectivity across the state.

Currently, MSRTC operates a fleet of 14,300 buses, with around 10,000 of them being over 10 years old. These aging buses are scheduled to be scrapped over the next few years, which makes the procurement of new buses essential for the corporation’s self-sufficiency.

“Deputy CM and finance minister Ajit Pawar immediately approved the MSRTC’s proposal to buy 5,000 buses every year and 25,000 in the next five years under a five-year plan, considering the urgency,” Sarnaik stated.

In related news, Sarnaik addressed the recent MSRTC fare hike, which was approved by the Maharashtra State Transport Authority (STA) on 23 January.

The fare increase, amounting to 14.95 per cent, came into effect from midnight on 24 January. Sarnaik expressed that he was unaware of the fare revision decision until media reports brought it to his attention.

The responsibility for the 'bitter' fare revision decision was taken by Sarnaik, while it was clarified that the fare revisions were authorised by the transport secretary-led committee.

Opposition leaders, including NCP MP Supriya Sule, have criticised the fare hike, questioning Sarnaik’s statement about being uninformed about the decision.

Despite the controversy, the MSRTC’s ambitious plan to modernise its fleet is seen as a crucial step towards improving public transport infrastructure in the state.