Ahmedabad, Oct 18 (IANS): To cater to the huge rush of passengers during Diwali, Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) on Friday announced the addition of 8,340 extra bus trips, aiming to serve around 3.75 lakh passengers.

GSRTC currently operates over 8,000 buses daily, covering more than 33 lakh kilometres and transporting more than 25 lakh passengers.

With Diwali approaching, the corporation has already seen an 18 per cent increase in bookings for October compared to the previous month.

To cater to this high demand, the GSRTC has boosted its fleet by adding extra buses for the convenience of passengers.

"This special arrangement will provide safe and timely transport for those travelling across the state to celebrate Diwali with their families. In particular, GSRTC is accommodating many artisans from Saurashtra, many of whom have settled in Surat for employment. To ensure their smooth return home for the festival, the corporation has arranged 2,200 extra buses from Surat between October 26 and 30, 2024, covering routes to Saurashtra, Panchmahal, North Gujarat, and even Maharashtra," officials shared.

This Diwali, GSRTC has scheduled additional bus trips from major regions, including 2,200 buses from Surat, 2,900 from South and Central Gujarat, 2,150 from Saurashtra-Kutch, and 1,090 from North Gujarat. The extra services are designed to ensure clean, safe, and timely travel for passengers heading home for the holidays.

The corporation has also provided a 24/7 toll-free helpline (1800-233-666666) for passengers to inquire about routes and schedules, the officials added.

With these additional trips, GSRTC's other divisions will also run extra services on popular routes during Diwali. Passengers can book their seats in advance or through the GSRTC's online portal (www.gsrtc.in), taking advantage of the corporation’s efforts to provide efficient, festive-season transport.