Mumbai: Maharashtra is witnessing a significant spike in bus travel bookings, with a notable 31% increase in reservations during the extended Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan weekend. According to the latest data from private bus operators, the surge in demand has led to the deployment of 4,571 bus services, marking an uptick from last year’s figures.
The period from August 17 to 19 has seen a substantial rise in travel activity, as holidaymakers and festival-goers take advantage of the extended break. A representative from redBus, a prominent online bus ticketing platform, revealed that the surge in bookings is attributed to a variety of routes, both inter-state and intra-state. Key inter-state routes experiencing high demand include Mumbai-Indore, Pune-Indore, Pune-Bangalore, and Pune-Hyderabad. Within the state, popular routes are Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar, Mumbai-Kolhapur, Pune-Nagpur, Nagpur-Pune, and Mahabaleshwar-Mumbai.
An operator from the western suburbs highlighted the efforts being made to meet the increased demand, stating, “We are working diligently to ensure a sufficient supply of vehicles to accommodate the growing number of passengers. This increase in bookings reflects a greater tendency among people to embark on leisure trips and visit family during festive periods.”
The redBus official further noted that the rising preference for bus travel is driven by its convenience and cost-effectiveness. The ongoing improvements in road infrastructure and the expansion of online booking services have contributed to this trend. “As road infrastructure continues to improve and online booking platforms become more prevalent, travellers are increasingly choosing bus services for their journeys,” the official stated. To capitalise on this trend, several bus operators have introduced special discounts and promotions for the long weekend, making bus travel an even more attractive option for a larger number of passengers.
