Gandhinagar/Junagadh, Feb 10 (IANS) With lakhs of pilgrims expected to converge in Gujarat’s Junagadh for the Bhavnath Mahashivratri fair starting on Wednesday, the State Transport (ST) Corporation has drawn up an expanded transport plan, scheduling more than 7,800 bus trips over the five-day event to cater to the anticipated surge in travel demand.
The annual fair, widely known as the ‘Mini Kumbh Mela’, attracts devotees from across Gujarat and neighbouring regions.
Last year, around 2.91 lakh passengers used ST services during the fair.
Taking this into account, the corporation has increased capacity this year with the deployment of about 195 additional buses, aiming to facilitate travel for nearly 3.7 lakh passengers.
Officials said a significant portion of the additional services will focus on the heavily used Junagadh bus station to Girnar foothills route, which serves pilgrims travelling to Bhavnath for darshan.
As part of the arrangements, 80 extra buses will operate daily on this corridor throughout the fair period, supplementing regular services and helping to ease congestion during peak hours.
To strengthen inter-district connectivity, the ST Corporation will also operate 115 express buses for devotees arriving from nearby districts.
Of these, 65 express buses will be deployed from the Junagadh division, while 50 will be provided by other divisions, offering direct and faster connections to Junagadh during the fair.
Passenger safety and punctuality have been cited as key priorities in the transport plan.
All buses operating for the Mahashivratri fair will be monitored round the clock through a 24×7 GPS tracking system, enabling real-time supervision of vehicle movement, and quicker response to operational issues.
The special transport arrangements will remain in force for the entire duration of the Bhavnath Mahashivratri fair.
With increased bus frequency, additional vehicles and continuous monitoring, the ST Corporation is preparing to manage the expected influx of pilgrims and provide organised transport services during one of Junagadh’s largest annual religious gatherings.
–IANS
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