In a major relief for students across Maharashtra, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has launched a new initiative to simplify the distribution of subsidised travel passes. Under the “ST Pass Directly to Your School” campaign, starting 16 June, students will receive their bus passes directly at their educational institutions, eliminating the need to stand in long queues at transport depots or pass centres.

Announcing the move, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said, “Students will get ST passes directly at their schools. This will save them the trouble of travelling to depots and standing in lines, which often leads to the loss of valuable academic hours.”

The MSRTC currently provides a 66.66% concession on bus fares for students travelling between their homes and educational institutions. Under this subsidy scheme, students are required to pay only 33.33% of the fare to avail of a monthly ST pass.

Additionally, students up to Class 12 are eligible for completely free passes under the “Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar” scheme, which is aimed at encouraging uninterrupted education.

Explaining how the new distribution system will work, Sarnaik said ST employees will now visit schools and colleges to distribute the passes. “The institutions will provide a list of eligible students, based on which passes will be delivered on-site,” he added.

The MSRTC chairman also highlighted that this step will benefit lakhs of students across the state, ensuring greater ease of access and reducing disruptions to their education.

The initiative has been widely welcomed as a student-friendly move and is expected to significantly streamline the pass distribution process as the academic year begins.

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