Sarnaik said that the situation had made it unfeasible for MSRTC to think of any fresh discount for new segments
Pratap Sarnaik. File pic/X
Maharashtra government's Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is facing losses of Rs 3 crore per day due to discounts offered to women and senior citizens in its bus services, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Friday, reported the PTI.
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Talking to reporters in Maharashtra's Dharashiv, the minister said that the situation had made it unfeasible for MSRTC to think of any fresh discount for new segments.
"Women were given 50 per cent discount in bus fares. The elderly (those above 75 years of age) are getting discounts. The situation is such that MSRTC is facing losses of Rs 3 crore per day due to these schemes. If we keep giving discounts, it would be tough to run MSRTC," he said, the news agency reported.
NAREDCO should support ST corporation's land development: Sarnaik
Meanwhile, last week, Pratap Sarnaik has urged the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) to take the initiative in developing the "land bank" owned by the State Transport (ST) Corporation across Maharashtra. He emphasised that NAREDCO's expertise in real estate development could significantly benefit ST, an organisation that plays a crucial role in public transportation.
Speaking at NAREDCO’s annual summit at the Jio World Convention Center (BKC), Sarnaik highlighted the vast land holdings of ST, which amount to over 3,000 acres across 840 locations in the state. The event was attended by NAREDCO President Haribabu, along with leading developers including Rajan Bandekar, Niranjan Hiranandani, and Jay Morjaria, among others.
Minister Sarnaik explained that ST Corporation’s land parcels are categorised into three groups: district, taluka, and rural areas. While prime locations in major cities attract significant interest from developers, rural and taluka-level sites see much less demand. To address this imbalance, the Maharashtra government is set to introduce a new tender process that will link high-value urban plots with less popular rural ones.
"In this revised tender system, developers interested in premium plots in major cities will also be required to develop at least two additional plots in taluka or rural areas," Sarnaik stated. "This will ensure that vacant ST Corporation land across Maharashtra is effectively utilised while also generating revenue for the transport corporation."
(with PTI inputs)
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