Latest news with #PMPML
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Surge in Pune Metro ridership following PMPML fare hike as commuters opt for cheaper & faster travel
After the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) recently raised bus fares beginning June 1, thousands of daily commuters have switched to the Pune Metro, citing affordability, speed and comfort, leading to a noticeable surge in metro ridership. According to official data, Pune Metro has recorded an 11% increase in footfalls during the first 16 days of June as compared to the first 16 days of May this year. The daily ridership has grown by an average of over 16,000 passengers, amounting to a total of over 1.13 lakh additional commuters using the Pune Metro this month. Transport experts note that the shift from buses to the metro marks a significant change in commuter preferences, particularly on routes where the difference in fares is substantial. For example, a PMPML bus ride from Pimpri to Ramwadi now costs ₹50 whereas the same journey via metro costs ₹35. Similarly, metro travel between Pimpri and Swargate is now ₹10 cheaper than that by bus. Vaishali More, a Hinjewadi-based office worker, said, 'I used to travel by PMPML buses every day but the recent fare hike has made it unaffordable. With the metro, not only is the fare lower, but the ride is faster and more comfortable. I reach work on time without the stress of traffic or overcrowded buses.' Apart from lower ticket prices, several commuters are also drawn to the metro's air-conditioned coaches, punctuality and smoother travel experience — a stark contrast to the frequent delays, congested roads, and overcrowding associated with PMPML buses. Meanwhile, PMPML officials have refuted the claim that the fare hike is the sole reason for declining bus ridership. N Garade, traffic planner at PMPML, said, 'We cannot directly link the decrease in PMPML ridership to fare hikes.' Echoing the sentiment, Hemant Sonawane, director of administration and public relations at PMPML, said, 'Metro ridership is definitely increasing, but attributing it entirely to our fare revision would be inaccurate. Factors like the onset of the monsoon and reopening of colleges are also contributing.' PMPML revised its fare structure citing mounting operational losses. The authority discontinued old passes in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, introducing new weekly passes priced at ₹70 and ₹150. Monthly pass rates were also increased, further impacting regular passengers.
Indian Express
08-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Despite hike in PMPML bus fares, commuters see no improvement in services
On June 1, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) decided to increase its fares. This, the transport body said was necessary in the face of increased cost of operations and to help it offer better services. But passengers have slammed this increase, which they said was uncalled for. Software engineering Amol Deshanpde is a regular user of the transport body and used to buy a daily pass priced at Rs 50. 'My office is in Baner and I used to take the bus from Akurdi station till Baner. However, the last mile connectivity was always an issue – thus I had to take an autorickshaw from the bus stand till I reach office. The press statement said this was done to improve services – but from personal experience I feel this would be far from being achieved,' he said. Every day, Shirish Mohite travels from Bhosari to MaNaPa (Pune Municipal Corporation) to reach his office in Deccan. Mohite, who works as an office assistant in a private office said the present fare hike is a bit too steep for comfort. 'My monthly pass costed me Rs 900 now its Rs 1,500. The buses on my route are really not first class – the seats rattle and the windows do not close. If I get the AC bus its fine- else it's a pain,' he said. Mohite says the rise in monthly fare has made him uncomfortable- but with no other options he has to make do with it. Suraj Raut, an HR professional, travels from Jamabhulwadi to Lohegaon and used to buy a daily pass of Rs 40 which has now gone up to Rs 70. 'I work for 26 days in a month, so my cost used to come to Rs 1,040, which has now increased to Rs 1,820,' he said. Raut like others have a heap of complaints against the transport body – from unclean buses to the ACs in air conditioned buses not working. 'Imagine a full bus with AC not working – it is suffocating,' he said. Raut has complaints about the frequency of buses from Lohegaon also. 'At times there is no bus for two hours – will the frequency increase after the rise in fares?' he asked. When it come the transport body, many commuters have complaints like Raut. Deshpande said PMMPL is supposed to be a feed service for the metro, but has failed. 'There is a metro every 10 minutes while the feeder service buses are not there for hours together. This completely defeats the definition of a feeder service,' he said. Deshpande who is a member of the PMP Pravasi Manch said they have asked for shorted fare hikes. 'If some one travels for just 5 km they have to pay Rs 20 – which is a steep rise,' he said. Deshpande called for robustness in the management of the transport body. Frequent break downs are also a concern, which sees many people stranded in the middle of the road. As per officials PMPML buses see breakdowns in the range of 300-600 per month. According to officials , most of these breakdowns were due to engine issues, while some were due to tyre issues. Currently PMPML operates 1,916 buses, including owned and hired buses. A recent study by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy highlighted that Pune had only half the buses it needs, with the 4,500 buses required. Pune District Planning Committee's Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) also said that the city requires over 6000 buses. On top of this, between 300-500 buses are off road on average every day. PMPML's fleet has remained constant since the last few years. In April 2022 the fleet number stood at 1959, in February 2023 at 2083, in February 2024 at 2009, and in February 2025 at 1916. To be fair the number of the buses is not the only thing that has remained constant. This was the first fare hike made by the transport body after 14 years. The problem is that the hike has not been bin proportion to increased efficiency or service. A press statement issued by PMPML post the hike said on day 1 of the hike they saw a revenue increase of Rs 55 lakh. Deepa Munde Mudhol, CMD of the transport body, said fares were hiked after a long time. Asked if this would affect passenger numbers, she said ' As of now commuters have not decreased. The statistics of the number of passengers in June and July will be analysed. Only one week has passed. No effect on passengers figures as of now.' Partha Sarathi Biwas is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express with 10+ years of experience in reporting on Agriculture, Commodities and Developmental issues. He has been with The Indian Express since 2011 and earlier worked with DNA. Partha's report about Farmers Producer Companies (FPC) as well long pieces on various agricultural issues have been cited by various academic publications including those published by the Government of India. He is often invited as a visiting faculty to various schools of journalism to talk about development journalism and rural reporting. In his spare time Partha trains for marathons and has participated in multiple marathons and half marathons. ... Read More Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune. A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read More
Time of India
06-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Feeder bus services starts on Kalyaninagar-Magarpatta route
1 2 3 Pune: The Maha Metro and PMPML fulfilled a year-long demand of commuters on Friday and started feeder bus services connecting Kalyaninagar Metro station to Magarpatta and Hadapsar. The feeder bus services will run throughout the day at a 45-minute interval. The frequency, however, is likely to increase based on ridership and demand, the Maha Metro and PMPML said. The Kalyaninagar-Magarpatta feeder route was identified to ensure shortest possible distance with minimum bus stops. For over a year now, professionals working in Magarpatta raised a demand for feeder buses from Kalyaninagar, the closest metro station for them. In the absence of any alternate commute option, travellers faced fleecing by auto drivers after alighting at Kalyaninagar. Prior to the Kalyaninagar-Magarpatta route, the Maha Metro and PMPML operated feeder buses on prominent routes such as Yerawada-Ramwadi-Lohegaon airport, Vanaz-Chandni Chowk-Pashan road and Ramwadi-Kharadi IT park. Regular commuters, however, have said the overall frequency of these buses has been 'considerably low'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Device Made My Power Bill Drop Overnight elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Pre-Order Undo For instance, the buses from Yerawada station to the airport and Kharadi are plying every 40 minutes. Commuters, however, need buses at every 10-15 minutes. Sujit Patil, who works in the airport road area, said the frequency of buses should not remain at 40 minutes interval when the metro trains are running every 7 to 10 minutes. "The authorities should operate buses at least at a frequency of 10 to 15 minutes," Patil said. The PMPML said the feeder buses are introduced on around 22 routes. Some routes have been redesigned to benefit metro commuters. Gokhalenagar resident Ashish Shinde said many pockets are still out of reach of feeder services. "We want the administration to cover maximum routes. Also, PMPML should operate smaller buses for feeder routes, which will benefit commuters and reduce PMPML's expenses," Shinde said. Officials from Maha Metro said continuous efforts are underway to improve last-mile connectivity to the metro stations. The PMPML is in the process of adding more buses to the existing fleet. "We will see how more buses can be deployed on feeder routes," officials said. Box: CURRENT STATUS Feeder services at metro stations: Feeder Routes: 22 in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad area Prominent routes: Yerawada-Ramwadi-airport - Kalyaninagar-Magarpatta-Hadapsar - Vanaz-Chandni Chowk-Pashan - Shivajinagar-Narhe Ramwadi-Kharadi IT park Major demands of commuters: - Increase frequency of buses - Deploy smaller buses on feeder routes - Cover prominent local areas MSID:: 121677131 413 | Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Time of India
Bangle worth 1.5L stolen on bus
1 2 3 Pune: A 74-year-old woman from Wadgaon Budruk lodged a complaint with the Swargate police on May 31, stating that unidentified passenger/s on a PMPML bus cut and stole her gold bangle worth Rs1.5 lakh when she boarded the crowded vehicle to Wadgaon Budruk on the evening of May 23. TNN Pune: A 74-year-old woman from Wadgaon Budruk lodged a complaint with the Swargate police on May 31, stating that unidentified passenger/s on a PMPML bus cut and stole her gold bangle worth Rs1.5 lakh when she boarded the crowded vehicle to Wadgaon Budruk on the evening of May 23. TNN
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Commuters raise concerns after hike in PMPML bus services
The recent fare hike by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) has sparked widespread concern among daily commuters. Minimum fares for bus rides have doubled from Rs.5 to Rs.10, while the price of a daily bus pass has jumped from Rs 40 to Rs 70. The cost of a monthly pass has also surged from Rs 900 to Rs 1,500. For many, this hike has come as a shock. Vrajeysh Rokade, a 20-year-old student at DES Pune University and a daily commuter, said, 'As a student, the fare hike is quite dramatic for me. I only get a limited monthly allowance, since I am a student of films, I have to go to different parts of the city for my recordings, so this sudden increase is definitely going to affect me. Even the services aren't good. The seats are broken, and buses are so overcrowded that it's hard to even stand.' Eighteen-year-old Arya Deshmukh, a student at Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, echoed similar concerns. 'I stay in Chinchwad, and PMPML used to be an affordable and convenient option for long-distance travel with a daily pass. But now, it's becoming expensive for students like me,' she said. Others, like Sara Bhat from Fergusson College, expressed concern not just for themselves but for the economically disadvantaged. 'I'm privileged enough that a hike of Rs 5–10 won't affect me much. But my house help travels from Katraj to Navi Peth every day. She doesn't have the same monetary privilege. It's people like her who will be hit the hardest,' she said. An English professor who uses PMPML daily questioned the timing of the fare revision. 'Buses are often late, overcrowded, or don't show up at all. While we understand that PMPML needs funds to operate, fare hikes should follow visible service improvements. Public transport is a lifeline for many. We hope authorities act to make it more affordable and commuter-friendly,' they said. Vikrant Kadam, a hardware engineer, expressed disappointment, saying 'I travel across the entire city in a PMPML bus daily. This rise in the prices has really pinched the pockets of me and other people, especially from the lower middle class. Even after the hike, I haven't seen any betterment in the services. The buses are still late. And people still have no place to sit in the bus. I feel that it is really unfair to us passengers who travel long distances daily with a tight budget.' A Public Relations Officer from PMPML stated, 'The fare hike is a result of inflation and the rising costs of CNG, petrol, and diesel. This is the first significant price hike in 12 years. However, fare concessions for senior citizens, differently abled individuals, and school students remain unchanged.'
