PUNE: Most passengers fear that the PMPML’s plan to offer free rides to women and senior citizens will be a disaster for the transport utility that has incurred Rs750 crore losses in the last three financial years.
A group of PMC corporators had earlier this month proposed free rides for the women and senior citizens commuting by the PMPML buses. Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) director Siddharth Shirole said the planning to implement the proposal has started.
“The civic bodies of Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad pay for the PMPML’s expenditures. They pay for a year’s expense the following years. But when it comes to the free rides, we need ensure immediate reimbursement. We have requested both the civic bodies to pay the transport utility on a monthly basis,” he told TOI.
The commuters are, however, not convinced. “We fail to understand if the authorities are talking about the free service because the elections in the state are nearing. There are so many issues to take care of. The seats reserved for women are occupied by men, the buses are in a bad shape and one cannot bank on the timings. The PMPML should think of improving all this, instead of taking some populist decisions,” said Anita Jagtap, who works with a private firm in Hadapsar and frequently avails of PMPML buses.
Dhayari resident Vidya said, “I travel by PMPML buses almost every day. I feel the authorities should focus on improving the services instead of offering rides free of cost.”
PMP Pravasi Manch secretary Sanjay Shitole, however, was in favour of the proposal. “It’s a realistic move and the PMPML should think about free rides for women and people belonging to the lower income group as well. The PMPML is a service provider for safe, quick and affordable transportation within the city. Its purpose is not to make money, but to decongest the roads and reduce pollution,” he said.
“Such a service is profitable for society, though the utility is making losses. Such losses should be perceived as ‘investment’ for better living for the citizens,” he said.
The PMPML recently shut down its route to the Pune airport citing bad revenue. PMPML CMD Nayana Gunde had cited the Airport Authority of India’s refusal to allow the buses to be parked on the Pune airport premises as the reason for the discontinuation of the service.
But within days, the MPML director Siddharth Shirole said parking of the buses at the airport was a secondary issue and the utility needed to be profit-oriented. To drive home the point, he cited that the earning per/km of the airport bus — to and from Hinjewadi Phase 3 — was just Rs26. He said the PMPML was shutting down the routes on which the earning per/km was below Rs30.
Transport activist Vikas Shastri said, “They are ready to provide free-of-cost bus rides, but at the same time are shutting down the loss making routes like the one to the airport. The PMPML should ideally improve the existing system and reduce the vehicle breakdowns.”
A group of PMC corporators had earlier this month proposed free rides for the women and senior citizens commuting by the PMPML buses. Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) director Siddharth Shirole said the planning to implement the proposal has started.
“The civic bodies of Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad pay for the PMPML’s expenditures. They pay for a year’s expense the following years. But when it comes to the free rides, we need ensure immediate reimbursement. We have requested both the civic bodies to pay the transport utility on a monthly basis,” he told TOI.
The commuters are, however, not convinced. “We fail to understand if the authorities are talking about the free service because the elections in the state are nearing. There are so many issues to take care of. The seats reserved for women are occupied by men, the buses are in a bad shape and one cannot bank on the timings. The PMPML should think of improving all this, instead of taking some populist decisions,” said Anita Jagtap, who works with a private firm in Hadapsar and frequently avails of PMPML buses.
Dhayari resident Vidya said, “I travel by PMPML buses almost every day. I feel the authorities should focus on improving the services instead of offering rides free of cost.”
PMP Pravasi Manch secretary Sanjay Shitole, however, was in favour of the proposal. “It’s a realistic move and the PMPML should think about free rides for women and people belonging to the lower income group as well. The PMPML is a service provider for safe, quick and affordable transportation within the city. Its purpose is not to make money, but to decongest the roads and reduce pollution,” he said.
“Such a service is profitable for society, though the utility is making losses. Such losses should be perceived as ‘investment’ for better living for the citizens,” he said.
The PMPML recently shut down its route to the Pune airport citing bad revenue. PMPML CMD Nayana Gunde had cited the Airport Authority of India’s refusal to allow the buses to be parked on the Pune airport premises as the reason for the discontinuation of the service.
But within days, the MPML director Siddharth Shirole said parking of the buses at the airport was a secondary issue and the utility needed to be profit-oriented. To drive home the point, he cited that the earning per/km of the airport bus — to and from Hinjewadi Phase 3 — was just Rs26. He said the PMPML was shutting down the routes on which the earning per/km was below Rs30.
Transport activist Vikas Shastri said, “They are ready to provide free-of-cost bus rides, but at the same time are shutting down the loss making routes like the one to the airport. The PMPML should ideally improve the existing system and reduce the vehicle breakdowns.”
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