During the Holi and Dhuleti festival period, the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) ran over 7,400 additional bus trips, serving approximately 3.14 lakh passengers across the state. These special services aimed to accommodate the seasonal increase in travel as people journeyed to their hometowns or religious sites. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi commended the corporation’s officers, staff, drivers, and conductors for their efforts in managing the festive rush.
The state government’s priority is to ensure citizens have safe and punctual transport services during festivals, minimizing any inconveniences. Operating between February 27 and March 4, the additional services facilitated secure travel for a significant number of passengers. This year’s figures surpassed the previous year, with around 7,100 additional trips and 2.80 lakh passengers transported.
A notable portion of the services catered to devotees heading to Dakor for worship at the Ranchhodraiji temple, a popular destination during the Holi festival. The corporation organized about 3,600 special trips for this route, aiding approximately 1.32 lakh pilgrims in their travels. Transport services were bolstered from various major cities to meet the heightened demand, with cities like Ahmedabad, Himmatnagar, Surat, Vadodara, Junagadh, and Rajkot seeing increased bus operations.
Moreover, additional buses were dispatched from several other centers such as Surendranagar, Morbi, Jamnagar, Dahod, Godhra, Devgadh Baria, Santrampur, and Lunawada to manage the surge in passenger traffic during the festival period. Festive occasions like Holi-Dhuleti and Diwali are anticipated to further boost transportation services, ensuring efficient travel for the public during these celebrations. Recently, the state government also provided extra buses and trips for the Mahashivratri fair at Bhavnath Temple.
