Pune Metro helps commuters escape heat, road traffic

FOR AMRUTA Ghodke, travelling from Garware to the cafe in Anand Nagar Kothrud where she works was a gruelling process every morning—to be repeated in the opposite direction in the evening. She is one of the regulars on the Metro now.

“Metro has cut my commute time down to 10 minutes from 30 minutes earlier. Earlier, I used to travel by my vehicle. It was time consuming as well as tiring. Now, I don’t have to bother about traffic signals or pollution and am able to put the extra time in my business. I also have more energy to spend with my family,” she says.

Since the Pune Metro was inaugurated from Garware to Vanaz and from PCMC to Phugewadi, life has changed for better for residents of the area. Among the passengers is a 40-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, who says the stress of travel has disappeared.

“I am able to manage my routine more efficiently. Metro is not as crowded as buses. I hope the frequency will be increased soon, so that the waiting period is reduced and that, eventually, we will also have food courts,” she says. She travels between Anand Nagar and Garware.

For students, Metro means some unexpected luxuries. Diksha Ovhal, 20, a student of Garware College, says, “The ticket is for Rs 20, which is double my bus fare as I live in Vanaz and travel to Garware stop daily. I still prefer Metro because it helps me escape the weather outside. It provides air conditioning and saves me from pollution.” Atharva Joshi, 23, who studies in Bharati Vidyapeeth and stays in Anand Nagar, travels by Metro back to his home in Vanaz. “I used to commute by car. It becomes inconvenient due to the traffic. Metro offers a flow, no traffic issues and you just have to relax and get down at your station.” For Achal Deore, 18, from SNDT College, Metro means saving more than a 30-minute commute. “Earlier, we had to wait for the bus, and there was no certainty…that meant travel time of more than an hour. I used to be late sometimes and had to stand outside the class, when I travelled by bus. Metro also has less crowd and noise, which helps me relax,” she says.

Currently, the total capacity of Metro is 900, which is not being fully used by commuters. Pune Metro spokesperson Hemant Sonawane says the frequency might be increased during peak hours until there is a train scheduled every 15 minutes. “We are going to launch a prepaid card system soon. Online booking application is already in place and more than 26,000 people have downloaded it. Both these methods are sustainable and will help save paper when 7-8 lakh people commute daily,” he adds.

As the service increases, regulars such as Nilesh Bhojane, an engineer from the PCMC area, will find commuting become even better. “I travel by Metro twice a day. In summers, taking public transport becomes difficult and we are exhausted. I don’t even spend time at the ticket counters as I have downloaded the app and can book my ticket in advance. The time saved is spent with my family,” he says. For Sachin Deore, 51, a professor in SNDT college, who lives in Vanaz and travels to Nal Stop, Metro has brought about “a level of comfort I could never imagine”.

“I no longer need to maintain my vehicle and take stress to drive in traffic. Metro has a schedule and, if I plan accordingly, I will not be late. This assurance makes me more productive and puts me at ease,” he says.