MSRTC has placed an order for 200 buses with Volvo Buses India, including 30 sleeper buses, in the largest single order secured by the company in India. The purchase will add premium seater and sleeper vehicles to Maharashtra’s intercity public transport system, Volvo Buses India said on Wednesday.
The order comprises 170 seater buses and 30 sleeper buses, according to the company. Volvo described the purchase as a significant commitment to strengthening premium intercity public transportation in Maharashtra, though the announcement did not specify the routes on which the buses will operate or the schedule for their deployment.
The buses will be manufactured at Volvo’s facilities in Hoskote. The company said the Volvo 9600 model is available in both seater and sleeper configurations, allowing the order to cover different passenger and route requirements within the intercity network.
“This landmark order reflects our shared commitment to elevating travel and making premium passenger experiences more accessible for the citizens of Maharashtra,” Suresh Chettiar, executive vice-president, Bus Division, VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd, said in a statement.
For the Maharashtra State Transport Corporation, the order represents a substantial expansion of its premium intercity fleet. The split between 170 seater buses and 30 sleeper buses indicates that the procurement is intended to support more than one type of long-distance travel service, although the company announcement did not provide further operational details.
The order also places the focus on how state transport undertakings are using higher-specification buses to improve intercity travel. Unlike a single vehicle purchase for a specific depot or route, a 200-bus order is large enough to affect fleet planning, manufacturing schedules and the eventual allocation of vehicles across the state network. The available announcement, however, does not state the procurement value, delivery timetable, passenger fares, maintenance arrangements or the routes that will receive the new buses.
Volvo Buses India said the order is its largest in the country to date. The company’s statement linked the purchase to improving passenger experience and making premium travel more accessible in Maharashtra, but did not disclose whether the buses would replace existing vehicles, support additional services or be deployed alongside the corporation’s current fleet.
The next operational milestones will be the manufacture and supply of the buses from Volvo’s Hoskote facilities, followed by MSRTC’s decision on deployment. Details about delivery dates, route allocation and service commencement were not included in the announcement.
