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Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has admitted that allotment of buses for events like Sadbhavana Mission fasts to ferry passengers from each and every corner of the state was a profitable business than running them on a regular route.

According to GSRTC officials, over 200 buses in a division are withdrawn to cater to the Sadbhavana fast organising agency.

In Porbandar event, about 150 buses were BOOKED. "It was a Sunday and students usually do not commute from villages," said R B Shah, chief traffic commercial MANAGER, GSRTC. "Allotting the buses for such events was more profitable than running them on a regular route,"he said.

One bus would fetch around Rs 12,000 on an average per day or more, depending on the distance to be covered, Shah added.

Meanwhile, state Congress general secretary Girish Parmer criticised the withdrawal of buses from regular routes and alleged that in Porbandar district, where a Sadbhavana fast was held on Sunday, the GSRTC withdrew nearly 350 buses collectively from four districts - RAJKOT, Amreli, Junagadh and JAMNAGAR.

"Of them, 118 buses were booked in the name of district collector and 70 buses were booked in the names of some BJP workers," he said.

Parmar alleged that GSRTC does not get full rentals and often the government refers the bills to various departments where payments do not materialised easily. "Our legislators have been raising the questions regarding dues the government owes to GSRTC following such events, but never got a satisfactory reply," he said.