‘No plans to shut down Shivshahi bus services’: MSRTC; Maharashtra commuters post pictures of technical defects

Widespread rumours of closure of bus services arose amidst increasing reports of accidents and the deteriorating condition of Shivshahi luxury buses in various regions of Maharashtra.

खुलासा..
एसटी महामंडळाकडे सध्या ७९२ शिवशाही(वातानुकूलित )बसेस चालना मध्ये आहेत. त्यामध्ये कोणताही तांत्रिक दोष नाही. तसेच सदर बसेस या बंद करण्याचा एसटी महामंडळाचा कोणताही विचार नाही.

(जनसंपर्क अधिकारी) pic.twitter.com/CyrIINKV0Q

— Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (@msrtcofficial) December 2, 2024

A senior official with the Pune division of MSRTC told The Indian Express, “People are spreading false news that Shivshahi buses will be shut down due to technical issues. This is incorrect. We will continue operating the service, and there are no significant technical faults in our buses.”

The MSRTC that operates 792 Shivshahi bus services in the state posted on X that it has no intention of discontinuing the services and that the buses have no technical fault.

Commuters reacted on the X handle of MSRTC by sharing pictures of Shivshahi running with technical issues.

One user, Suraj Arya, shared a picture of a driver keeping a large stone in the cabin to prevent gear malfunctions. “What is this then? The driver is driving with a big stone in the cabin. I took this photo myself, showing the stone near the gear! The driver even drives with the cabin door open. What is the use of AC? Shivshahi buses are forced to turn off the AC,” he wrote.

Another user, Mohammad Afzal, posted a video allegedly showing a Shivshahi bus experiencing brake failure while carrying passengers.