Sources said the one decision over-ruled the other and there was too much politicisation of the state transport corporation
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Confusion reigns supreme over decision of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) with no clarity on the running of buses and whom are they meant for. While on Friday and Saturday, there was talk about buses being available from Monday morning for students and migrants and a portal was being built, till Sunday evening there was no sight of the portal and any clarity on the matter. Crowds that went to bus depots making queries about buses had to return empty handed.
Maharashtra State Transport buses start picking up migrants walking on highways to transport them safely #lockdown #lockdownindia @mid_day pic.twitter.com/1z01p46y94
— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) May 11, 2020
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Sources said the one decision over-ruled the other and there was too much politicisation of the state transport corporation, making the second largest bus fleet owner in the country ineffective.
It all started in the weekend with the state transport ministry stating that those willing to travel within state to various districts would be allowed to travel by MSRTC buses free of cost, after requisite police permissions. Buses will also run and pick up migrants on the way who have been walking and if they belong to the other states, they will be ferried till the state borders. Maharashtra transport minister Anil Parab said that people willing to travel should form a group of 22 people and submit all details to the nearest police station or the collector.
“The collectors and police will co-ordinate, get permissions of home district and receiving districts and the bus will leave when permissions from both ends are in place. Those who with to apply individually can do so on the state transport portal and we will wait till 22 such applications are received so that we could arrange one bus,” Parab had stated. However, on Sunday, a few of these
There was also a talk of building a new portal where those willing to travel could register and then take the bus journey. However, there was no clarity on that decision too as the portal was not ready by Sunday evening.
While no one was willing to speak on record, officials said the portal was ready and would be activated by Monday.
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