Ganpati Special trains ferry 4.50 lakh passengers to Konkan, bus strike fails

MUMBAI: The two-day strike of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) just before the Ganpati festival did not eventually prove to be a dampener, as the Railways, State Transport (ST) and private buses rose to the occasion splendidly. Between September 1 and 9, 4.50 lakh passengers travelled by Ganpati Special trains to Konkan while another 2.50 lakh took ST buses.
On Monday, government authorities revealed that since the beginning of September, the number of passengers taking long-distance trains to Konkan had spiralled. According to Central Railway officials, there were at least 2.5 lakh passengers who booked confirmed tickets for their travel. The occupancy of the trains was well over 100 percent, as the same seat, where one passenger alighted, would be occupied by another passenger who had booked the seat from that station. Due to this, there was severe crowding at stations like CSMT, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Diva and Panvel.
“At least 1,50,000 passengers travelled in unreserved coaches,” said a CR official, adding that there was no count of those who took MEMU trains, otherwise the numbers would be even higher. Most MEMU and passenger trains run from Diva and Panvel to Konkan covering most Konkan stations, including Sawantwadi, Kudal, Ratnagiri, Chiplun and Kankavli.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier stated that Indian Railways would be operating 342 Ganpati special trains. He had also inaugurated a Konkan-bound train from Bandra Terminus, the first one to begin its journey on Western Railway.
Konkan Railway officials said that they operated 316 Ganpati Specials, which are part of the 342 special trains. “The bulk of the crowd went on September 5 and 6. Even now, there is a crowd going to the southern states, with passengers alighting at Konkan stations,” said another railway official. “We expect similar crowds on the return journey as well, which will be divided between the fifth and last day of the festival.”
Meanwhile, MSRTC, which struggled between September 3 and 4 due to the strike called by 11 worker unions, said that despite the odds, it managed to ferry 2,50,000 passengers from Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts. Sources in MSRTC said that the majority of buses ran between September 4 and 8, carrying the bulk of the load.
“We managed to arrange 10,000 drivers and conductors, enough technical staff to address breakdowns, at bus depots and officers to man the situation. The employees came from across different parts of the state in order to transport devotees eager to go home for the festival,” said an MSRTC official.
The ST authorities are now preparing to transport people back to Mumbai from September 12 to 17. Sources said there were buses that needed periodic overhauling and had a maintenance schedule ahead, and thus spare buses had been arranged and parked at Mahad, Chiplun and Mangaon depots.
Meanwhile, private bus operators and their associations stated that this year, due to the MSRTC strike, their business was better. Sources said that they operated 2,700 sleeper and seater buses to Konkan from Mumbai and ferried lakhs of people for the Ganesh festival.