NASHIK :
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided to re-launch the freight project which was hampered due to impractical remarks a year ago. Ithas decided to start freight service to increase the financial income of the Corporation and to deal with the brokerage in the grain market.
Freight service of MSRTC has started with transport of Alphonso Mangoes of Konkan. Recently, an MSRTC truck carrying 150 boxes of mangoes left Ratnagiri to Borivali. The freight service will soon be extended to other parts of the state, informed MSRTC officials.
The goods will be transported by MSRTC trucks and up to nine metric tonnes of goods will be transported directly or in phases. MSRTC clarified that the passenger vehicles which have completed the prescribed lifespan will be customized to transport up to nine metric tonnes of goods by making internal changes. MSRTC currently has 300 such trucks.
It was decided to use 8 to 9 year old buses in phases to increase the number of MSRTC trucks. It is planned to build a body for the freight service by keeping the chassis in the old bus same, officials said. A year ago, in January 2019, the then Transport Minister Divakar Raoate had announced to start freight service in the state.
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Booking arrangements required for transportation of goods will be made available at every depot of the Corporation and at the bus stand. A separate cell has been set up at the Central Office to monitor and control the operation of the freight and a Coordinating Officer (Nodal Officer) has been appointed in the divisional office of the Corporation in each district.
