Scania Commercial Vehicles India has flagged off the first buses for SVLL Connect of Scania Metrolink Services in Mumbai. These buses, which offer top-notch passenger safety, high fuel efficiency and trouble-free service life, will transport travelers from Mumbai to Surat and other destinations.

The Surat-based SiddhiVinayak Logistics will have a fleet of 120 Scania inter-city buses, designed by DC Design. Other than Mumbai and Surai, the 31-recliner seater, ‘seven-star’ luxury passenger SVLL Connect buses will cater to corporate executives and high-end passenger in other sectors like Pune-Mumbai, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Bangalore and Surat-Ahmedabad.

Commenting on the launch, Anders Grundströmer, MD, Scania Commercial Vehicles India and senior VP, Scania Group, said, “This is an important milestone for the Scania Metrolink Luxury Intercity Coach. The commencement of SVLL Connect services using the Scania Metrolink, is a proof of concept, that what Scania has developed for India, is also well appreciated by India’s bus operators, as well as passengers.”

Meanwhile, as scheduled, Scania will inaugurate Phase II of the company’s production facility – the bus factory in Narasapura, Karnataka – later this year. The CV maker is going about setting up a complete service and dealership network in India, starting with the South and West first, followed by the North and East.

Photograph: Anders Grundströmer, MD, Scania Commercial Vehicles India, Deepak Baid, director, SVLL Connect, and R C Baid, chairman, SVLL Connect, at the flag-off in Mumbai today.