PMPML Bus App: Delayed Launch Ignites Public Demand for Improved Public Transit

Pune, 5th May 2024: Parisar, an organization based in Pune, has worked on the campaign to amplify the demand for a bus app by the public to the PMPML. The Low Carbon Mobility group and the PMPML Pravasi group, which represent the public, met with Nitin Narvekar, Joint MD PMPML on May 3, 2024, to request the app’s release as soon as possible. The team submitted a letter of demand and a report on the campaign to the Joint MD.

Previously, the Low Carbon Mobility Network, a group of Pune-based civil society organizations, identified a lack of information about the buses as the primary reason for people not using PMPML services. To address this issue, Parisar, as part of the Low carbon mobility group,  launched the App Kara Bus Kara campaign, which aimed to develop an information-based app. During the campaign, the team installed a prototype screen at six different locations in Pune and had conversations with bus commuters. The team discovered that most commuters rely on other passengers, drivers, or conductors to obtain information about bus timings and routes. Additionally, many of the bus stops in Pune lack adequate information about the number and schedule of buses. The app will help passengers deal with these issues by providing real-time tracking of buses, which will save waiting time. During the campaign, the team was able to reach out to more than 1,500 Punekars and collect 1,319 demand cards from the commuters themselves, which confirmed the demand for live tracking and bus schedules.

According to the Joint MD, the bus application is currently undergoing final testing, and as soon as testing is complete, the application will be launched.

Ranjit Gadgil, Parisar’s program director, emphasized the need for simultaneous improvement in other areas affecting bus commuters, including inadequate bus stop infrastructure, insufficient information on bus numbers and routes, and malfunctioning digital boards. He stressed the importance of prioritizing the needs of commuters who rely on non-tech support alongside those embracing technology.