Pune: After Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced free metro and bus rides for all female commuters, Shiv Sena now wants free rides for students, female commuters and senior citizens in the buses run by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd to control the air pollution.

Senior party leader and corporator of Kothrud area Prithviraj Sutar has tabled a proposal to the standing committee. While speaking with Sakal Times, Sutar said, “City’s air quality index is very poor. Now the time has come to take a substantial step to save the environment. This would be the first step to control air pollution. If we offer free bus service to students, female commuters and senior citizens, it will help us control air pollution as the move will discourage people from using private vehicles.”

He further added, “Due to this step, the number of private vehicles will automatically decrease and it will solve the problem of traffic congestion. Every day, more than 30 lakh vehicles are running on the roads in the city. This is adversely affecting the health of citizens.”

According to the statistics of PMC’s Environmental Status Report (ESR) 2016-17, the number of vehicles is equal to the city’s today’s population. The ratio of the vehicle per person is more than one vehicle per person in the city. The city’s population is around 40 lakh and the total vehicle population in the city until March 2017 was 33,37,370. Between March 2016 and March 2017, a total of 2.7 lakh vehicles increased in the city which is very high for just one year.