MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), was hit due to the bandh called on Thursday by the Maratha Sakal Samaj (MSS) demanding reservation for the Maratha community. Only 10% of its services could be run by 4 pm. MSRTC buses which usually conduct 80,209 trips, could only conduct 8,056 trips on Thursday. 16 buses were damaged, including one bus torched in Nashik.
From Mumbai, 16 buses departed before 8 am for various destinations. The division controllers had been directed to be in touch with district collector and superintendent of police to keep track of the protest status and accordingly to resume the services.
There are 250 depots in the state, out of which 218 depots had been shut down, said a MSRTC official. 93 per cent services were not functional and 16 buses were damaged, out of which 11 buses were in Aurangabad, five in Nashik and one in Nagpur. The services were completely off the road in Mumbai, Konkan (excluding Palghar), Western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Nashik. 50 percent buses in Vidarbha and 83 percent buses in Palghar were operational.
However, the police had not given any assurance to the corporation regar-ding safety, said MSRTC officials. “We have decided not to run the services unless the protest is called off or the police and collectors give a signal to start the services,” officials said. The bus services will be resumed from Thursday night.
