Even before the start of the summer vacation season, the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has witnessed a sharp rise in passenger demand, with advance bookings surpassing 1.08 lakh seats within just seven days.
Official figures show that between April 9 and 15, more than 1.08 lakh seats were reserved in advance, generating revenue of over ₹3.22 crore for the state-run transporter.The surge indicates early travel planning by passengers heading to their hometowns, as well as to key religious and tourist destinations across the state.Among divisions, Godhra led the chart with 28,137 bookings, contributing ₹76.34 lakh in revenue. Rajkot followed with 14,206 tickets worth ₹40.71 lakh. Jamnagar and Bhuj divisions recorded 9,404 and 8,897 bookings respectively, highlighting increased travel towards the Saurashtra and Kutch regions.
Ahmedabad division registered 8,978 bookings, generating ₹22.93 lakh, with strong demand for routes connecting Saurashtra and North Gujarat. Other divisions also saw steady activity, including Bhavnagar (7,153 bookings), Amreli (5,534), Vadodara (4,849), and Surat (2,149).During the same period, 3,674 tickets were cancelled, with GSRTC issuing refunds amounting to approximately ₹11.14 lakh.
Officials said GSRTC continues to remain a preferred travel option due to its affordability compared to trains, flights, and private bus services.
In response to the growing demand, the corporation plans to deploy additional buses during the summer vacation period to manage the increased passenger traffic.