Pune, 25 August 2025: For Konkan residents living in Pune, Ganeshotsav is a time to return home and celebrate the festival with family. However, during this season, tickets on state transport and private buses are either unavailable or highly priced. To address this problem, former corporator Rekha Tingre and Chandrakant Tingre have been organizing a free bus service for the past two decades.
This year too, on the occasion of Ganeshotsav, 15 buses departed from the Kalas–Dhanori area of Pune, filled with devotees heading to Konkan. The initiative has brought joy and relief to many families who would otherwise struggle to find affordable travel options.
Speaking about the initiative, Rekha Tingre said that many Konkan natives live in Pune for education and jobs but travel back home every year for festivals like Holi and Ganeshotsav. “We have been offering this free bus service for 20 years now, and the smiles on people’s faces give us true satisfaction,” she said.
Chandrakant Tingre added that festivals like Ganeshotsav and Holi hold special importance in Konkan, where traditions are still celebrated with great devotion. “We started this initiative for the Konkan community living in Kalas and Dhanori, and we are committed to continuing it in the years to come,” he said.
Passengers also expressed gratitude. One of them, Dnyaneshwar Gavade, said it was often difficult to find tickets during the festive season, with private operators charging high fares. “This free service is a big help to us, and we are thankful to the Tingre family for their efforts,” he said.
