GSRTC Enhances Festive Travel with 7,400 Extra Bus Trips for Holi-Dhuleti
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Gandhinagar, March 5 (NationPress) The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) facilitated over 7,400 extra bus journeys during the Holi and Dhuleti festival, effectively transporting approximately 3.14 lakh passengers throughout the state, as reported by officials on Thursday.
To handle the seasonal influx of travelers returning to their hometowns or visiting sacred sites, special arrangements were implemented.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi expressed his appreciation to the officials and staff of the corporation, especially the drivers and conductors, for their efforts during the busy festival period.
"The state government is dedicated to providing citizens with safe and efficient transport services during festivals, ensuring no inconvenience," he stated.
The additional services were available from February 27 to March 4.
According to official data, the increased operations allowed around 3.14 lakh passengers to travel securely during this time.
This year, the number of special trips and passengers exceeded last year’s statistics, where the corporation had run approximately 7,100 extra trips and accommodated about 2.80 lakh passengers.
A notable portion of services catered to devotees heading to Dakor for worship at the temple of Ranchhodraiji, a site that traditionally draws large crowds during the Holi festival.
Approximately 3,600 special trips were arranged for this route, helping about 1.32 lakh pilgrims.
Transport services were enhanced from key cities to meet the heightened demand.
Ahmedabad recorded 687 extra trips, while 716 trips were initiated from Himmatnagar. Surat had 496 trips, and Vadodara saw 255 trips.
The corporation also provided 220 extra services from Junagadh and 131 from Rajkot.
Additional buses were dispatched from various centers including Surendranagar, Morbi, Jamnagar, Dahod, Godhra, Devgadh Baria, Santrampur, and Lunawada to manage the flow of passengers during the festival.
Events like Holi-Dhuleti and Diwali are expected to further boost transportation services.
Recently, during the Mahashivratri fair at Bhavnath Temple, the state government also operated extra buses and trips.