A 26 year old woman was raped inside the state transport bus in Swargate depot from Pune. Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday announced a slew of measures to upgrade security in buses and depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) The minister called for the use of Artificial Technology, installation of CCTVs and GPS system in buses. He also called for installation of alarm and locking systems in buses, disposal of scrapped buses, four-wheelers and two-wheeler currently parked in various depots by April 15 and safety audit of all bus depots. The department will appeal to the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for the deployment of a senior IPS officer in the MSRTC to supervise and handle the security-related issues. He has already ordered an inquiry into the rape case and asked the administration to suspend the concerned officers if found lapses in their functioning. He said that his department accords priority to women’s safety. According to him, under the Manila Sanman Yojana, women are given 50 per cent discount on their travels from MSR TC buses.
