Pune MSRTC division to run 1,200 extra buses for Diwali rush from November 4 to 7

Pune, October 27, 2026: The Pune division of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will run 1,200 extra buses between November 4 and 7 to handle the rush of passengers heading to their home towns for Diwali. Of these, 900 buses will serve Vidarbha, Khandesh and Marathwada, while 300 are reserved for destinations in western Maharashtra.

The special trips will leave from the Swargate, Wakadewadi (Shivajinagar) and Pimpri-Chinchwad depots. Arun Siya, divisional controller of the Pune ST division, said the arrangement was made to help thousands of passengers travelling home for the festival.

Lakhs of people who live in Pune for work, education and business go home for Diwali. Railway reservations were full nearly two months in advance, so demand for ST buses rises sharply as the festival nears. The extra trips are meant to ease the crowding and spare passengers inconvenience. Online reservations for these special buses have already begun.

This year, the ST administration plans to run more than 900 special buses for Marathwada, Vidarbha and Khandesh from the Pimpri-Chinchwad depot. Earlier, the extra buses for these regions left from the Khadki Cantonment area, but that location was considered inconvenient for passengers. This year, therefore, the departure point has changed for passengers travelling to these three regions.

The site at Wakadewadi opposite the bus stand could not be used because it is owned by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). The Pimpri-Chinchwad depot is directly connected to the metro, so passengers are expected to find it easier to reach. The administration has also rented a nearby ground to park the extra buses.

Meanwhile, 300 extra buses will run from Swargate for passengers going to western Maharashtra and Konkan. These 300 form part of the Pune division's total of 1,200 extra buses. Special services will also operate from the Shivajinagar (Wakadewadi) bus station.

Regular bus services will continue during this period, and the extra buses will be in addition to them. The ST administration has made arrangements at bus stations to manage the larger number of travellers.

"We will run 1,200 extra buses from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Swargate and Shivajinagar for Diwali travellers between November 4 and 7. Passengers should book their tickets in advance and travel safely by the corporation's buses," Siya said.