Only one ticket window open at Panvel ST depot

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) seems oblivious to the increasing passenger traffic in Panvel. It has kept only one ticket window operational at the Panvel depot, thereby inconveniencing passengers who plan to board a bus from this depot. Not just that, the Panvel depot is lying in a neglected state.

“The Panvel depot is among Raigad district’s major and important depots. Buses going towards western Maharashtra and Konkan pass through this depot. Now that the authorities have kept only one ticket window operational here, passengers are facing hardships, not to mention the time wasted,” said Mahadev Phad, a resident of Navi Mumbai, who was at the ST depot to board a bus to Parli Vaijanath.

He said, “The person manning this ticket window has to look after reservation, cancellation of reservations, issuing passes, and the same counter also acts as an enquiry window. I wanted a four-day pass to visit Parli and was forced to wait in the queue for nearly 2 hours. The person at the counter was taking so much time, that the queue wasn’t progressing. There are five windows at the depot, however, senior authorities have kept only one window open.”

Phad said, “When I enquired with the official about the other windows, the official stopped issuing passes and asked the concerned clerk to only carry out the reservation work. Since it was holiday time, a lot of people were at the counter, despite that the arrogant official inconvenience everyone.”

The Panvel depot manager could not be reached for his version.

However, when asked about the other windows, a subordinate official, said, “Windows are kept open on the basis of response of passengers. As far as Panvel depot is concerned, the response is such that we keep one window operational. This counter functions from 8am till 10pm.”

Flying solo
MSRTC has kept only one ticket window operational at the Panvel depot, thereby inconveniencing passengers who plan to board a bus from this depot. Not just that, the Panvel depot is in a neglected state

A subordinate official, said, “Windows are kept open on the basis of response of passengers. As far as the Panvel depot is concerned, the response is such that we keep one window open, from 8am-10pm”