Mumbai: In a significant development, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is soon going to run six electric air-conditioned "Shivneri" bus services between Mumbai and Pune via Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) or Atal Bihari Vajpayee Trans Harbour Link.

The transport corporation has initially planned to run four buses over the MTHL on an experimental basis from February 20. However, according to media reports , the number of buses was raised to six amid "commuter demand". 

On Wednesday, the media reports quoted an official saying that while the inaugural run on Tuesday was underway, as many as 150 passengers travelled by Shivneri bus between Mumbai and Pune delivering a revenue of over ₹1.5 lakh for the bus corporation.

According to the reports, the buses will run between Mantralaya and Pune station (via Dadar) at 11 am, Dadar and Swargate at 7 am and 1 pm, Pune railway station and Mantralaya at 6.30 am, and Swargate and Dadar at 7 am and 1 pm. 

The move will cut the travel time between the two cities by one hour, said a press release. The fare for the "Shivneri" buses would remain unaffected, the transport body said in a press statement.  

It had said that the "Shivneri" buses that leave at 6.30 am and 7 am, respectively, on the Pune railway station-Mantralaya and Swargate-Dadar routes would travel via MTHL to Mumbai and would return in the same manner.

As per PTI, the release stated that the buses will be plied via Panvel, Nhava-Sheva and Sewri to ingress the MTHL, the longest sea bridge in the country. 

The bridge will stem from Sewri in Mumbai and conclude at Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka of Raigad district.

MSRTC, which operates a fleet of about 15,000 buses, is one of the biggest public transportation companies in the nation. These buses carry almost 60 lakh passengers every day.