Pune: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has seen a great response to its special bus service for the pilgrimage to the "Sade Teen Shaktipeeth" temples of the Goddess.

The bus service, organized by the Vallabhnagar depot of Pimpri-Chinchwad, has already sold out seats for three buses scheduled to depart on October 5.

Due to increasing demand, officials from the depot have hinted that additional buses might be added to accommodate more passengers.

The pilgrimage is designed to cover the three and a half Shaktipeeths—religious sites of immense historical and spiritual significance for devotees across Maharashtra.

To ensure that devotees can travel conveniently for darshan, MSRTC has launched these special bus services, which will depart from Pimpri-Chinchwad on October 5. The itinerary includes the following key stops:

Day 1 (October 5): The buses will first head to Kolhapur for darshan at the Mahalaxmi Temple. Later that day, the journey continues to Tuljapur for another holy visit.

Day 2 (October 6): The buses will depart from Tuljapur and proceed to Mahur, where they will halt for the night.

Day 3 (October 7): Pilgrims will visit the famous temples in Nashik and Vani, after which the buses will begin their return journey to Pimpri-Chinchwad.

To encourage more passengers, MSRTC is offering special discounts for women and senior citizens. Under the “Women’s Honor Scheme,” female passengers are eligible for a 50% discount on ticket prices. Additionally, senior citizens aged 75 and above can travel for free.

So far, the bookings for three buses have been fully reserved—two of which are standard buses, while the third offers semi-luxury services. If the demand continues to grow, more buses could be added to the fleet.