Commuters want PMPML to reduce standing passengers in Punyadasham buses
Only five stand-in passengers are allowed on the Punyadasham bus; however, the bus driver and conductor are allowing more passengers to board
With the number of passengers increasing in Punydasham buses, passengers have asked the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) to reduce occupancy in its buses, by reducing the number of ‘standing passengers’
Only five stand-in passengers are allowed on the Punyadasham bus; however, the bus driver and conductor are allowing more passengers to board.
Sanjay Shitole, secretary, PMP Pravasi Manch said, “Motor vehicle rule is applied to every vehicle. So, whenever you are building a vehicle body, you have to consider standing capacity. All the safety measures and space constraints have to be declared, and based on it, the RTO approves the vehicle.”
According to passengers, the small seven-metre bus has no handles for the standing passengers. The AC system on the bus also does not work.
“I have seen that PMPML has two-three buses available for every route, but they will only allow one bus on the route due to which the number of passengers increases,” added Shitole.
The passengers are of the view that lack of planning bus routes by PMPML is the cause of the problem. The transport body needs to ply more Punyadasham buses on the routes.
“PMPML can also introduce bigger buses (9 metres) on routes like Swargate-Shivajinagar as buses on this route are always overfilled. Senior citizens find it difficult to enter the bus,” added Shitole.
Punyadasham buses were launched by PMPML and PMC on July 10, 2021. This bus has a ₹10 full-day fare service.
“Earlier, I would travel by Punydasham on a regular basis, but after a few months of the launch, I found buses were always overfilled and hence stopped using the service,” said Ravi Krishnan, a passenger.
The Punyadasham buses which are also known as midi buses have a seating capacity of 24 persons each.
Another passenger Ankita Dolas said, “If only 24 persons are occupying the bus and no standing passengers are allowed by authorities then more people will like to use the service as it is affordable.”
PMPML spokesperson requesting anonymity said, “We will try introducing more buses on routes that have excess passengers, especially the Swargate-Shivajinagar route.”