The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) earned Rs 301 crore during the 10-day Diwali period this year, Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik announced on Tuesday.
The Pune division recorded the highest earnings, followed by Dhule and Nashik, marking a Rs 37-crore increase compared to last year’s festive season.
Between October 18 and October 27, the state-run transport body earned an average of Rs 30 crore per day, with revenue peaking at Rs 39.75 crore on October 27 — the highest single-day collection of 2025, as thousands of passengers returned to cities after the holidays.
Among the corporation’s 31 divisions, Pune topped with Rs 20.47 crore, followed by Dhule (Rs 15.60 crore) and Nashik (Rs 15.41 crore).
“Our dedicated ST staff worked tirelessly, staying away from their families during Diwali to ensure passengers reached their destinations safely. Their contribution made this success possible,” said Pratap Sarnaik, Maharashtra Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman.
Revenue target missed despite festive boost
Despite the strong Diwali performance, MSRTC fell short of its monthly revenue target of Rs 1,049 crore, which required a daily average of Rs 34 crore. While certain days exceeded expectations, officials said the corporation struggled to sustain steady earnings.
The shortfall was attributed to unseasonal rains and flooding between June and September, which caused losses of over Rs 150 crore and disrupted services across multiple divisions.
Divisions such as Pune, Beed, Ahilyanagar, Amravati, and Buldhana reported improved earnings over last year, while Sindhudurg, Yavatmal, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, and Dharashiv underperformed, pulling down the overall numbers.
Minister Sarnaik said a performance review of low-earning divisions would soon be undertaken to identify gaps and enhance operational efficiency.
Earlier, Sarnaik had set a target to revive the loss-making MSRTC within two years and transform it into a profitable entity.
According to a ‘white paper’ released in June, MSRTC’s accumulated losses ballooned from Rs 4,603 crore in FY 2018–19 to Rs 10,324 crore in FY 2023–24. The transport body has reported profits in only eight of the past 45 years.
The MSRTC, which came into existence on June 1, 1948, is the largest such transport body in India, with a fleet of more than 15,000 buses. More than 55 lakh commuters travel on its buses every day.
