Minister Directs MSRTC to Complete Delayed Shahapur Busport by December 2026
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has directed officials of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) construction department to complete the long-pending Shahapur busport project by December 2026. The instruction follows an intervention by former Shahapur MLA Pandurang Barora seeking urgent government action to resolve the construction delays.
The project, envisioned to upgrade passenger amenities and regional public transport infrastructure, has remained incomplete nearly seven years after receiving government approval. Despite an initial sanction of around Rs 5 crore and a formal foundation-laying ceremony, the facility has experienced prolonged delays.
The original Shahapur bus stand was built in 1978 and later demolished after the structure became dilapidated and unsafe. The state government approved a new busport in 2017, and the foundation stone was laid in 2018. The construction contract was initially awarded to M/s Karda Company under a 24-month completion deadline. However, the agency completed only about 30% of the work over several years, leading authorities to withdraw the contract and assign it to a new executing agency.
Progress has remained sluggish despite the change in contractor. In the absence of a completed terminal, daily commuters, students, and senior citizens have been forced to wait under a temporary tin shed that provides minimal shelter from heavy rain, heat, and wind. Passengers have also raised concerns over the poor condition of temporary toilets at the site.
Additionally, the lack of a dedicated access route forces state transport buses to travel through roads in the local market area when entering and leaving the Shahapur bus depot, triggering frequent traffic congestion. Local residents have sought an independent alternative route to ease vehicular pressure on the market roads.
Following the minister's directive to Superintending Engineer Dinesh Mahajan and other construction officials, local commuters are hoping work will finally accelerate to meet the new December deadline.
