Call To Deploy MSRTC Buses At Satara’s Kaas Plateau To Ease Traffic and Cut Pollution
Call To Deploy MSRTC Buses At Satara’s Kaas Plateau To Ease Traffic and Cut Pollution
Renuka Suryavanshi
The Kaas Plateau in Satara, often referred to as a paradise for nature lovers, attracts nearly 1 to 1.5 lakh tourists during the flowering season in August and September. To preserve the fragile ecosystem and avoid traffic congestion on the plateau, a parking facility has been set up nearby. Visitors are expected to park their vehicles there and use transport arranged by the Kaas Executive Committee. Currently, these services are operated by private vehicles, but there is growing demand to replace them with Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses, including eco-friendly e-Shivai buses, for better environmental protection.
Satara district is blessed with natural wonders—from Mahabaleshwar’s scenic points and the towering Sahyadri ranges to Panchgani’s Table Land and breathtaking valleys. Among these, Kaas Plateau is a rare natural marvel where unique species of flowers bloom in vibrant colours for a limited time each year, making it a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Around 90% of tourists visiting Kaas travel in private vehicles, leading to pollution and traffic snarls. To address this, the Kaas Committee has been arranging shuttle services from the parking area to the plateau. However, these shuttles are leased from private operators every season. In 2023, the committee even hired e-buses from Pune, but high rental costs made them unviable.
Nearly a decade ago, following a visit by a UNESCO team concerned about vehicular emissions damaging the ecosystem, authorities had introduced MSRTC mini-buses to ferry tourists. This initiative was praised for being eco-friendly.
With MSRTC now having inducted new “red buses” and e-Shivai vehicles, environmentalists argue these public buses produce minimal emissions and are a sustainable alternative to private shuttles. “On one hand, we lament MSRTC’s financial losses, and on the other, we rely on private vehicles to ferry thousands of tourists daily. This contradiction needs to end; MSRTC buses must be used,” said locals advocating for change.
“Even the last tourist should be transported safely. If a family arrives late in the evening, they shouldn’t be stranded at the plateau. MSRTC must ensure the last bus accommodates such visitors,” said Dnyaneshwar Akhade, a member of the Kaas Executive Committee.
Buses can even come from Pune and Mumbai to Kaas plateau and other sightseeing places; this will reduce the number of private vehicles and also avoid congestion which happens mostly during the period when flowers bloom. These buses need to adapt to the time table of the tourist visit from 7 am to 6 pm and not stick to their duty hours. added Akhade.
By adopting MSRTC services, Satara aims to make Kaas Plateau tourism cleaner, safer, and more sustainable for future generations.
