In response to the escalating demand for Maratha reservations and a recent incident involving the burning of a bus from the Nanded depot in Hadgaon tehsil, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has taken the decision to suspend bus services in nine depots across the district, effective from Sunday afternoon until further notice, according to controller Dattatray Kulkarni.
The call for Maratha reservations has gained momentum, with Manoj Jarange's hunger strike in the Jalna district garnering substantial support. The Sakal Maratha Samaj is actively advocating for reservation, and political leaders are being denied entry into villages until the demand is met. Furthermore, there is an election boycott in place until the reservation is granted.
As a precautionary measure, bus services have been suspended in nine depots, including Nanded, Biloli, Degloor, Mukhed, Hadgaon, Kandhar, Kinwat, Bhokar, and Mahur, causing inconvenience to commuters who are now facing high fares from private travel providers."
Hingoli Bus Services Disrupted
All 65 buses operating to and from Hingoli district have been temporarily suspended amid concerns of potential violent attacks, effective Sunday afternoon. The suspension also affects buses from Vasmat and Kalamnuri depots, exacerbating the difficulties faced by residents, particularly those in rural areas.
In a disconcerting precedent, a Hingoli depot bus was set on fire by unidentified individuals during a previous reservation protest, and several other buses were targeted with stone-throwing incidents. Approximately 20 buses from the Hingoli bus depot, along with buses from other stations such as Beed, Amravati, and Pusad, have been relocated to Hingoli and ordered to remain parked until further instructions.
With the situation growing increasingly tense, local police have established barricades around the Hingoli bus stand to maintain order and safety.
Bus Services Halted in Beed
District superintendent of police Nand Kumar Thakur, alarmed by incidents of an unruly mob torching Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses on Saturday night, instructed to suspend the MSRTC bus services in Beed district till further order. The buses were stopped at the respective bus stations and depots. The buses from other destinations also did not reach Beed and other parts of the district.
Pune to Marathwada Buses Canceled
Protests continue in different regions of the state, driven by demands for reservation. Demonstrators in the Marathwada districts of Beed and Latur have grown increasingly forceful. As a result, bus services to and from various parts of Marathwada departing from Pune's Shivajinagar bus stand have been halted. Since Sunday, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus routes to Beed and Latur have also been temporarily suspended. This situation has created significant disruptions for travellers heading to Marathwada from Pune City, leading many to cancel their journeys.