In a significant step aimed at improving the safety and reliability of school travel, particularly for children from rural and semi-rural areas, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has launched a dedicated student helpline, 1800 221 251. The initiative was announced by Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik. For thousands of students in villages and remote regions, MSRTC buses are often the only link between home and school. Irregular services, sudden cancellations and overcrowding have frequently resulted in missed classes, late arrivals and anxiety among students and parents.

 

The newly launched helpline is designed to address such problems in real time, enabling students to seek immediate assistance if buses are delayed, cancelled or break down en route. The minister said, the helpline would be especially beneficial to rural schoolchildren, who often have no alternative transport and must travel long distances daily. By registering complaints instantly, students can now alert authorities before situations escalate, reducing uncertainty and ensuring quicker response from depot officials.

 

The State Government already supports school travel through substantial concessions, including a 66.66 per cent discount on monthly passes for students and free passes up to Class XII for girls under the Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar Scheme. The helpline complements these measures by adding an important safety and accountability layer. Education officials and parents in rural areas have welcomed the move, viewing it as a decisive step towards protecting children’s education, safety and mental well-being by making public transport more responsive and student-centred.