- No political leaders involved in the ceremony
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a departure from the norm, the inauguration ceremony of the new e-bus service from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Pune took an unconventional twist. The service was inaugurated by the passengers themselves, with political leaders being deliberately kept at bay. The event garnered significant attention as the e-bus, filled with passengers on its maiden voyage, set off on its journey.
The inauguration ceremony of the Shivai e-bus service took place at the central bus stand on Thursday at 11 am. Professor NT Thackeray and Manisha Thackeray, who secured the first tickets for the bus, performed the ceremonial ribbon-cutting after conducting a traditional bus worship ritual. Passengers on board the inaugural bus were warmly greeted by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials, who presented them with roses to commemorate the special occasion.
MSRTC regional manager Nitin Maind, Divisional controller Sachin Kshirsagar, Divisional transport officer Amol Ahire, depot manager Laxman Lokhande, mechanical engineer Shravan Sonwane, Chikalthana central workshop manager Pramod Jagtap, Santosh Najan and others were present.
Enthusiasm among people
The e-bus service was initially launched in Mumbai on May 1, by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. However, the inauguration of the first e-bus departing from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar witnessed a unique preference for passengers instead of political leaders, underlining the enthusiasm among officials and passengers for this sustainable transportation initiative.