Journalism of Courage
To attract the middle class and the lower middle class passengers,the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation Limited (MSRTC) will start a new bus service,Sheetal,between Dadar and Pune,the most popular and lucrative route,from September 27. Initially,one bus will operate on the route on a trial basis. MSRTC claims that it is for the first time in the country,that a semi-luxury bus will have an AC facility.
While the charges of the AC luxury Shivneri buses are Rs 250 and that of a semi-luxury non-AC bus is Rs 150,the MSRTC is looking to put the charges of the Sheetal bus in the range of Rs 180 to Rs 190. The service will be inaugurated by State Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil.
The bus is based on the concept of Garibrath train. The name,Sheetal,literally means cool. We are proud that it is for the first time in the country that a transport company is coming out with a semi-luxury bus with AC facility in it,The bus,with 39 seats,will be in an attractive colour combination of blue,orange and white, an MSRTC official said.
