1,000 more buses needed to improve traffic: study

Though the transport experts and activists are urging Puneites to travel by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) buses to improve the traffic situation in the city, not all can travel by them.

According to a study, PMPML is nearly 1,000 buses short than the required numbers to provide good public transport service to Pune.

The study has been carried out by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) for PMPML to understand the requirement of buses for Pune’s population.

For this study, CIRT has considered the population of Pune city, PCMC and surrounding areas where PMPML is already providing its services. As per the calculations, the population comes to 62,90,764. According to the study, PMPML requires at least 2,328 buses to provide good transport service.

However, at present, the PMPML has only around 1,500 buses to carry passengers. One of the CIRT officials told DNA,

“We have carried out this study for PMPML so that it can improve the bus service of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. During the study, we realised that PMPML does not have enough buses to carry passengers. Unless that number is increased, the services cannot improve.”

The official further added, “We have considered a formula of one bus for nearly 2,000 people. According to that figure, PMPML should have least 2,328 buses of which 1,746 should be owned by PMPML while 582 can be hired from private contractors. However, at present, PMPML has around 1,400 to 1,500 buses, which are operational.”

PMP Pravasi Manch, a city-based NGO, had obtained some documents from PMPML officials, which mentions that only 1,313 buses were on road in January. Jugal Rathi, president of PMP Pravasi Manch said, “According to the information, the PMPML has 1,852 buses of which 272 are hired. However out of the total fleet, only 1,313 buses were operational. The statistics clearly shows that merely by increasing the number of buses, the public transport problem of the city cannot be resolved. The transport body will have to maintain these buses as well as rationalise the routes.”

When contacted, Pravin Ashtikar, joint managing director of PMPML, said, “ We are sending a proposal to the Centre to allot nearly 1,000 buses for Pune under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). If we get these buses then citizens will surely an improvement in PMPML’s service.”