आपल्या महाराष्ट्र एस टी ने आपल्या "शिवनेरी" या वातानुकूल आराम सेवेसाठी काही खाजगी बस वाहतूकदारांकडून या चिनी वोल्वो बसेस भाडे तत्वावर चालवायला घेतल्या होत्या. त्यातल्याच एका बसचे मी टिपलेले हे चित्र. चिनी वस्तूंच्या "चले तो चांद तक नही तो बस शाम तक" या ख्यातीनुसार या बसेसने पण लवकरच मान टाकली. मुंबई - पुणे मार्गावर घाटात या बसेस धापा टाकायच्यात.
आपल्या एस. टी. ने स्वतःच्या मालकीच्या फ़क्त वोल्वो आणि स्कॅनियाच घेतल्यात, या चिनी बसेस नाही त्यामुळे खाजगी कंत्राटदाराला "या बसेस नको" हे सांगून एस. टी. लवकर मोकळी झाली. पण मुंबईच्या "बेस्ट" (BEST Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) या उपक्रमाने तर या चिनी गाड्या स्वतःसाठी खरेदी केलेल्या होत्या. शहरातले छोटे छोटे चढ चढतानासुद्धा या गाड्या दमत असत. कांजूरमार्ग वरून आय आय टी पवईकडे जाताना गांधीनगरचा चढ या गाड्या कसाबसा चढत. त्या चढावावर बेस्टचीच एखादी साधी गाडी (लेलॅण्ड व्हायकिंग) हिला लीलया ओव्हरटेक करून जात असे.
पुढच्यास ठेच मागचा शहाणा या न्यायाने ठाणे महापालिका परिवहन (TMT) आणि नवी मुंबई महापालिका परिवहन (NMMT) शहाणे झालेत आणि त्यांनी आपल्या वातानुकूल सेवेसाठी आपल्या ताफ़्यात फ़क्त वोल्वो बसेसच खरेदी केल्यात.
MSRTC's Kinglong Cerita Shivneri
"Shivneri" is a brand name for Air Conditioned Luxury Bus service offered by MSRTC mainly on Pune - Dadar route. Though Shivneri service was also introduced between Thane and Pune, Borivali and Pune, Pune and Aurangabad; Dadar - Pune route was the main route served by this prestigious service.
MSRTC has the schedule of Shivneri service at every 15 minutes on this route. During weekends to clear the extra rush, MSRTC even planned clone bus for important timings at a 5 minutes delay after the regular service.
MSRTC initially introduced Volvo B 7 R buses (MH - 11 / T 92XX passing) as Shivneri buses. The colour scheme selected for this brand was sky blue. Later MSRTC hired a few buses (Mercedes, Cerita Kinglongs and Volvos) from private operators for this service.
This is one such bus. Kinglong Cerita bus hired from a private operator for this service. Kinglong Cerita bus is also known as "Chinese Volvo" because of its origin in China. This bus was also purchased in good numbers by BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) in Mumbai for its Air Conditioned city bus service.
But CERITA Kinglong buses failed miserably in their performance. Theses buses were failed to climb steep ghat section on the Mumbai - Pune expressway. (Their sisters serving in BEST failed to climb comparatively flatter inclines in Mumbai city, too.) Soon Indian transporters stopped providing patronage to these Kinglong Certia buses and these buses vanished from Indian roads, fortunately.
Pune Station - Dadar Shivneri service. (Via Express way)
Route length: 160 kms.
MH - 43 / H 1998.
Kinglong CERITA.
Coach built by JCBL.
Air conditioned, Air suspension Luxury Service.
2 by 2 seating arrangement.
Total 44 seats + 1 conductor.
Photographed at Pune station bus stand.
29/11/2009, 17.30 hours.
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