Mini-buses to ply on Neral-Matheran route,other hill roads

The buses are bought at the cost of Rs 8.5 crores and each can seat 31 passengers. Besides the Neral-Matheran route,about 30 mini-buses have been deployed in Konkan,the hilly and tribal belts of Nashik,Amravati (Melghat),Dhule,Nandurbar and parts of Vidarbha. “The commuters are also relatively less in the areas where these buses have been introduced,” Gupta said.

Matheran,one of the few hill stations near Mumbai,is one of the popular weekend destinations for Mumbaikars. The MSRTC buses play a vital role in carrying passengers to and back from the base (Neral) to Matheran during the monsoon when the famous Neral-Matheran toy train is non-operational. The private operators plying on the route charge exorbitant amount from the tourists. Last year,the private tour operators had even set ablaze a MSRTC bus as,according to them,it was eating up their business.

Meanwhile,the Matheran Municipal Council (MMC) is considering the development of shuttle service for tourists in and around Matheran,especially from Matheran and Dasturi Naka. The issue was discussed in the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority’s (MMRDA) Monday meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is also considering improvement of transport facilities and introduction of rail system from Panvel to Matheran.

However,owing to the poor financial health of MMC and bleak chances of a preference from the Central Railway to the project,it was decided that the MMRDA would provide technical and financial aid for the feasibility study. “We are yet to receive any formal proposal for the same,” said CR spokesperson Shriniwas Mudgerikar.