The Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank has donated a specially designed air-conditioned e-bus, named ‘Sahakar Bhakti-Rath’, to the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple Committee in Pandharpur, revered as the Southern Kashi of Maharashtra.
This initiative aims to assist lakhs of devotees, especially the elderly, differently-abled, and pregnant women, who face challenges accessing the temple due to the ‘No Vehicle Zone’ restrictions.
The Bhakti-Rath can accommodate 14–16 passengers and is equipped with modern features, including a television that continuously streams live darshan of Lord Vitthal. The e-bus, manufactured by Tejaswi Group, Hyderabad, has been provided entirely on a charitable basis at a cost of Rs22 lakh.
The concept was initiated by MSC Bank Administrative Board Chairman, Vidhyadhar Anaskar. Known for supporting farmers across Maharashtra through its financial services, the State Cooperative Bank considers Lord Vitthal a symbolic deity of the common farmer. In a reflection of this sentiment, a statue of Lord Vitthal was installed at the MSC Bank headquarters in Mumbai and unveiled by then CM Devendra Fadnavis in 2018.
The official inauguration of the Sahakar Bhakti-Rath will take place on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Pandharpur, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other dignitaries.
