Pune: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has withdrawn its Nashik-Pune-Nashik Shivneri air-conditioned bus service, which it started a month ago. 

However, officials from the Pune Division of MSRTC said that the service did not attract passengers due to high fare compared to Shivshahi buses.

The transport body started the service on November 13. It was the second time this service was rolled out -- two years ago too the MSRTC had stopped this service due to low passenger movement.

“The Shivneri service began on November 13 this year but due to high fare, the passengers were travelling by Shivshahi bus.” 

“The Shivshahi fare is low compared to Shivneri,” Pune Divisional Controller of MSRTC Yamini Joshi told Sakal Times.

According to the official, Shivneri buses were plying on the Pune-Nashik-Pune routes for the past seven years till October 2017. After the introduction of Shivshahi buses on October 14, 2017, passengers gave preference to that bus.”

As per the official, the response of the passengers towards Pune-Nashik Shivshahi buses has been 
extremely encouraging ever since they were introduced on October 14, 2017. The occupancy rate is over 75 per cent on Shivshahi.