Pune: Two MSRTC buses — one in the morning and another in the afternoon — started operating from Swargate to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from Wednesday, offering the city’s flyers a direct public transport option to the new facility.Arun Siya, the divisional controller of MSRTC’s Pune division, said the departure time of the morning bus from Swargate was 6.15am. It would reach NMIA around 9.30am. The afternoon service from Swargate is at 2.25pm. The bus will reach NMIA around 6pm.The bus fare is Rs445 per adult. It is Rs230 per child. Passengers eligible for concessions and those using National Common Mobility Card can avail of applicable benefits. The E-Shivai buses deployed on the 126km route would stop at 22 places, including Wanaz, Chandni Chowk, Balewadi, Hinjewadi Phata and Indira College in Wakad.Passengers said two daily buses would be inadequate, considering the airport’s expected growth. “More buses from other points are needed. For those in Hinjewadi Phase 3, reaching Pune airport is a nightmare because of traffic. Taking the expressway and Connecting Link to NMIA is a much easier option. MSRTC also needs to ensure that the buses run on time, else passengers could miss their flights,” said IT professional and frequent flyer Narendra Aikat.MSRTC officials said the Pune-NMIA service could be expanded depending on the passenger response. “As flight operations increase, the demand for the bus service is also expected to rise,” an official said.“MSRTC has launched similar bus services connecting NMIA with Borivali and Dadar. The airport has provided adequate space to park buses, besides setting up a control room for coordination,” another senior MSRTC official said.NMIA currently handles around 150-156 flight movements a day.
