The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) will operate around 6,500 additional bus trips across the state from August 26 to 30, to meet the expected rise in passenger demand during the Raksha Bandhan festival.
The announcement came as Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi flagged off 101 new ST buses from Gandhinagar on Wednesday. The 101 newly inducted buses comprise 71 Super Express, 20 Midi and 10 Sleeper Coach buses.
The buses will also be deployed as part of the special arrangements for Raksha Bandhan.
Special services have been planned on routes connecting major cities, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, as well as prominent pilgrimage destinations such as Ambaji, Pavagadh and Somnath.
Advance booking facilities have been made available online and at ST depots to help passengers plan their journeys. The corporation operated 6,402 additional trips during last year’s Raksha Bandhan period, carrying around 3.33 lakh passengers.
This year, the number of extra trips has been increased to 6,500 in view of the anticipated festival rush.
Speaking at the event, Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia said the induction of the 101 buses was part of efforts under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi to provide convenient, safe and comfortable public transport for citizens, employees and students.
“Special bus services had been introduced on new routes ahead of Raksha Bandhan to make travel easier for people travelling from different parts of Gujarat,” he said.
During the programme, women conductors of the ST Corporation tied a rakhi to Sanghavi as an advance celebration of Raksha Bandhan.
Officials said ST drivers, conductors and operational staff continue to provide round-the-clock services during festivals, allowing passengers to travel while many transport employees remain on duty.
Sanghavi congratulated the ST Corporation’s employees for their services and thanked them for ensuring transport facilities for passengers across the state. He also inspected one of the newly launched buses.
The corporation has appealed to passengers to make use of the special services and advance booking facilities during the five-day period.
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