The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will be given Rs 500 crore for concretisation of its bus stands, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Wednesday. Speaking at a function here to mark the 75th anniversary of the MSRTC, he said the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) will provide Rs 250 crore to the public transporter to make its bus stands pothole-free in the first phase.

“(There will be a) Complete concretisation of bus stand flooring. Not a single dust particle should be visible,” Shinde said, while also stating that MSRTC must provide clean toilets at the bus stands. “There are potholes at bus stands. Water and mud accumulate in potholes and passengers face a lot of trouble,” he said. For providing quality public transport services to passengers, the transport body will be empowered and modernised, he added.

The CM further said that MSRTC is the lifeline of Maharashtra and it has covered a long journey of 75 years. The MSRTC should work with the motto of `Bahujan hitaya, bahujan sukhay” (welfare and happiness of the masses). It should ensure quality, he said. Shekhar Channe, vice chairman and managing director of MSRTC, told PTI that the corporation has around 580 bus stands across the state and the funds will be used mainly to concretise these stands.

The corporation has already submitted a proposal to the Industries Department, he said. Chief Minister Shinde, meanwhile, also asked when the MSRTC would become financially self-reliant. MSRTC depots are located on prime locations and should be developed as “bus ports” on Public Private Partnership basis, he said. “You should take advantage of your prime locations. It will be beneficial to ST`Does it not feel good when we visit an airport?” Shinde said.

The MSRTC, one of the biggest public transport bodies in the country, has a fleet of around 16,000 buses and a workforce of around 90,000. Famous Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure, who is an ambassador of MSRTC, was also present at the ceremony, along with MLA Bharat Gogavale, transport secretary Parag Jain Nainutia, and transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar.

A new concept of mini theatres for Marathi films will be implemented at bus stands depending on land availability, the chief minister announced. Anaspure gave this suggestion of setting up mini theatres on main bus stands, where people can watch Marathi movies during their few hours of free time while waiting for the next bus.

Shinde said that the government is working to change the face of MSRTC. New electric buses, air-conditioned buses are being added to the fleet. Seven thousand buses will soon come in the corporation`s fleet. The government is positive to give dearness allowance likewise or on the lines of Maharashtra government to MSRTC employees and he will discuss the issue with the finance minister of the state, Shinde assured.

He announced to give Rs10 lakh interest-free advance to MSRTC employees if their children want to pursue studies in foreign countries, besides 10 types of free health check-ups for the corporation`s employees under a new scheme that will be named after his political mentor Anand Dighe.

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