Pune News: Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation’s Bus Tracking App Still Awaits Launch 

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has spent a shocking ₹13.32 crore on developing a mobile app for tracking bus locations. The app was intended to provide passengers with live bus locations, ticket reservations, nearby bus stations, bus routes, and complaint services. Despite this substantial investment, the app has yet to launch, leaving passengers waiting at stations without the convenience of real-time tracking.

The STC’s fleet includes approximately 14,800 buses, serving 4 to 4.5 million passengers daily. In 2018-19, the STC awarded a contract to Rosamarta Autotech for installing Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) and Passenger Information System (PIS) screens. 

The contract, valued at ₹32.55 crore, aimed to improve bus tracking and passenger information.

Over the past six years, ₹13.32 crore has been spent on installing VTS and PIS systems. However, many of these systems are malfunctioning or have been abandoned. Of the 16,282 buses fitted with VTS, many units are not operational. Additionally, 316 PIS screens have been installed, but several are also non-functional.

The app is now in its final development stage, with testing set to begin in the next eight to ten days. However, the ongoing issues with the installed systems raise concerns about whether the app will resolve the current problems effectively. Passengers continue to face delays and uncertainty due to the lack of reliable live tracking.