The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation will operate 5,220 additional buses to the Konkan region from September seven to 25 to meet a surge in passenger demand during Ganeshotsav. The extra services will run on various Konkan routes and are intended to provide alternative travel options for passengers across Maharashtra. Bookings will be available through the official MSRTC website, at bus stations and via the MSRTC Bus Reservation mobile app. Group reservations for 40 or more passengers will open on August 10. MSRTC said additional staff and maintenance teams will be deployed to ensure safe and uninterrupted operations throughout the festival period. Senior officers and operational staff will be stationed at major bus stations round the clock to assist passengers and coordinate services. Vehicle maintenance teams will be positioned along key Konkan highways to attend to breakdowns and reduce disruptions. The corporation emphasised preparedness following a review meeting at its headquarters. The review meeting was attended by the transport minister, who also chairs MSRTC, the vice chairman and managing director and other senior officials, and resulted in finalised arrangements for the festive rush. The minister underlined the corporation's commitment to serving passengers travelling to Konkan irrespective of profit considerations and to ensuring that people can travel safely and conveniently. Under the group booking scheme women and senior citizens will continue to receive a 50 per cent fare concession. Beneficiaries of the Amrit Senior Citizen scheme will remain entitled to free travel. Passengers and regular travellers welcomed the announcement, noting that confirmed train reservations are often difficult to obtain during the festival and that expanded bus services will provide a dependable option for families returning to their native places. MSRTC stated that its operational focus during the period will be passenger safety, reliability and minimising journey disruptions on key routes. The additional services are expected to support festive mobility and ease pressure on other modes of transport.