The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on Friday slashed bus fare on the Mumbai-Bengaluru route by Rs 400 on weekdays-Monday to Thursday. The corporation has also reduced the number of stops in Karnataka. As a result, the buses will cover the distance faster than trains.

Apparently, this is being done to compete with buses run by the Karnataka government on the same route. MSRTC runs Volvo buses on the Bengaluru route. "These first-of-its-kind buses have seats which can be inclined up to 130 degrees, thus providing airplane-like comfort to passengers during their overnight journey," said MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor.

The bus leaves Mumbai at 1 pm and reaches Bengaluru at 7 am the next day. On its return journey, the bus leaves from Bengaluru at 4.30 pm and reaches here by 10.30 am the next day. The fare for the journey was initially Rs 1,400, but this has now been reduced to Rs 990 on weekdays. "During weekends, we will charge Rs 200 extra, which is Rs 200 less than the earlier fare," Kapoor said.

"We will ensure that buses depart and arrive on time and passengers can give us suggestions/complaints which will be treated on a priority,'' he said. Kapoor added, "We are determined to beat KSRTC on this lucrative route by giving competitive fare, new Volvos and a clean service."

Recently, the MSRTC hiked fares on all its bus routes, especially on the Mumbai-Pune AC Shivneri buses whose fares were increased by Rs 50.

TOI