PMPML’s MI Card flops

PUNE: The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) ‘MI Card’, which was launched two years ago under the Smart City Project, has flopped due to sluggish pace. The transport body has distributed only 29,555 cards during the two years while around 10 lakh passengers use the bus service in Pune.

MI Card is a prepaid bus pass, which enables digital transaction during travel in PMPML buses. 

Former Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Kunal Kumar had initiated several schemes under the Smart City Project, and MI Card was one of them. The scheme was announced in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

According to a source from PMPML, “On January 2, 2017, the scheme was launched by then mayor Prashant Jagtap at PMPML’s Swargate office. The first two cards were handed to two passengers. The same year, in August-September, the decision was taken to give MI Cards to more than 30,000 passengers in the first phase, while in the second phase, the cards would be given to those who apply for it.”

As per the information provided by PMPML, only 29,555 passengers were given the cards in the last two years. Out of this, 8,217 were given to visually impaired passengers, disabled and other daily pass holders. Thousands of students use monthly pass of PMPML and out of this, only 217 were given the cards.

There are 8,000 employees in PMPML and out of this, only 2,950 got the cards while 1,763 were distributed to Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) employees and only 302 were distributed to other passengers. 

Few cards were issued to senior citizens, police personnel and corporators.