Pune: Social Distancing Goes For A Toss in Crowded PMPML Buses
Mehab Qureshi
Pune, September 10, 2020: City’s public transport body Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has crossed the milestone of one lakh commuters daily in merely six days, by generating almost Rs 17 lakhs revenue.
PMPML’s service was reinstated on September 3 with 477 buses of its fleet plying on 190 different routes. Shockingly, on the first day alone, about 65,000 passengers travelled by bus. After that, the number of passengers increased from 70,000 to 90,000.
The news of reinstating bus services spread like wildfire, as a result of which on Monday, September 7 the number of passengers reached 1 lakh, and in the last two days, the number has reached up to 1,10,000 passengers daily.
The administration had also allowed passengers above 65 years of age to travel from September 8. However, the buses plying on Nigdi, Bhosari, Katraj, Hadapsar, Sinhagad Road, Warje Malwadi and Vishrantwadi routes are observed to be crowded. “The buses on that route are loading up in the peak hours. Therefore, the number of buses on this route will have to be increased in the near future”, informed an official from PMPML.
“Social distancing has gone for a toss as the buses are extremely crowded. It seems people have forgotten about the Coronavirus. But I have no other choice than travelling by bus”, said Ritesh Patil, who is a frequent traveller by Vishrantwadi route.
” I have to commute from Dhankawadi to the station every day. I don’t even have a bike. Rickshaws are not affordable, so I have no choice but to travel via PMPML. I am glad that bus services have started”, said Somesh Ratnapure, frequent traveller by Dhankawadi route.
