Journalism of Courage
Jayant and Rekha Kirtane,a doctor couple from the US,preferred to explore the real Pune through the civic transport rather than using luxurious modes of travel
While several Punekars avoid using the public transport system in the city,citing reasons like lack of safety or hygiene,this NRI couple saw it for what it is: an economical and convenient way to travel.
Jayant and Rekha Kirtane moved to the USA more than 30 years back,and have been living in Ridgewood,New Jersey ever since. The Kirtanes came to Pune on January 30,to settle the apartment that they purchased in Baner with an intention of eventually shifting there. In the five weeks that they were here,the couple traveled to all parts of the city by the buses of the PMPML,venturing to several areas such as Shukrawar Peth,Aundh,Deccan,Swargate,and even the Pune Municipal Corporation. They not only used the buses to explore the city,but also used it as a mode of transportation to run various errands.
We chose to travel by bus because we feel there is no better way to explore a city. If you hire a car or take a rickshaw,it is impossible to observe the true elements of the city and its people, says Rekha,a pediatrician. Jayant,who is a cardiologist,feels that the convenience and low cost of traveling by bus was certainly a factor in their decision. We were a little apprehensive initially,as we did not have the timetable or knowledge of the routes,so there was a slight fear of getting lost, he says. The buses would come and go so fast that you had barely any time to read the destination or the bus number, his wife adds.
However,both of them agreed that once they got used to traveling by bus,it was rather interesting and quite enjoyable. At a stall in Appa Balwant Chowk,they also managed to pick up a booklet which had a detailed schedule of the various bus routes,albeit after searching high and low. The people of Pune are very cooperative,and whenever we were lost we always found a helping hand from bystanders, they smile.
Rekha fondly recalls an incident during their adventures that has remained imprinted in her mind. Initially when we had started to travel by bus and did not have the bus route booklet,we had asked a young gentleman about how we could reach a certain destination. While talking to us,I think he realised that we would have difficulty as it involved changing buses twice,he just changed his own bus route to take us to our destination. He did not even mention that he was doing this for us,but we came to know just as we parted his company, she says.
Overall,the Kirtanes had an enjoyable and exciting journey through the city,but they do wish that the PMPML took some more steps to assist outsiders like themselves in using the buses as a convenient mode of transport. There ought to be big,clear signs on the buses as well as the bus stops,not just for first-timers like us but for the thousands of daily commuters as well. The signs should also be in English,not just in Devanagiri. And lastly,the buses could definitely be cleaner and more comfortable, they say.
