Bangalore pattern puts PMPML services in top gear

12 noon to 4 pm is the phase when drivers ensure buses are maintained, & they are paid overtime allowance for that.

PMPML, pune transportation, pune city buses, bus service in pune, pune bus service, pune news, city new, local news, pune newsline

A 10-year-old girl with a heavy schoolbag stands inside a PMPML bus that she boarded at Bopodi around 10 am on Thursday. None of the passengers, including 19 women, offered a seat to the girl. (Source: Express Photo by Manoj More)

The “Bangalore pattern” of running buses in Pune has yielded positive results for the city transport body, the PMPML, has been drawing flak from commuters demanding reduction in fares and an improvement in services. The “positive developments” were the result of the Bangalore pattern — breaking the bus schedule for the day broadly into two parts with a lean phase of around four hours — adopted a month back, PMPML officials revealed on Saturday.

PMMPL officials sounded euphoric as they reeled off figures and commuters’ feedback on the changed bus schedule in which the vehicles are mostly run from 8 am to noon, and from 4 pm to 8 pm. From 12 noon to 4 pm is the phase when drivers ensure buses are maintained, and they are paid overtime allowance for that.

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This system, said Anant Waghmare, PMPML transport manager, has worked to PMPML’s advantage. “We ensured that at least 100 more buses run from 8 am to 12 noon, and 4 pm to 8 pm. Buses are now available every 5 to 10 minutes on routes where the Bangalore pattern is being implemented. Earlier, there were complaints that commuters had to wait for 20 minutes for a bus,” said Waghmare.

Waghmare said that from 5 in the morning to 8 am, autorickshaws are preferred by commuters. There are few bus commuters for three hours in the morning. “Therefore, we are reducing the number of buses that run early in the morning. In near future, there will be at least 500 buses running as per the changed time table,” he said.

Stating that the system helped them save fuel and put extra manpower at their disposal, Waghmare said, “In the broken schedule system, drivers get at least a three-hour break. During this period, they are supposed to look after maintenance of the bus and ensure that there are no breakdowns,” he said.

PMPML spokesperson Deepak Pardeshi said they are getting positive feedback from commuters. One commuter, Sunil Jog of Bavdhan, sent a message to PMPML complimenting the administration for providing more buses on Route No 109 and 110.

Jog said, “I observed that from Bavdhan to city and from Karvenagar areas, buses were less frequent and jam-packed. After the schedule was changed buses were available more frequently and there was space as well. What is surprising is that sometimes you find six buses landing at the bus stop one after the another,” he said.

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Jog (61) said, “I have been using my two-wheeler because bus service was not that good….Now I feel I should give up my two-wheeler and frequently travel by bus.”

That is what civic activists in Pune have been clamouring for. Many argue that if PMPML runs services efficiently, fewer people will travel by own vehicles and there would be fewer jams.

PMPML chairman and managing director Shrikar Pardeshi said the system has indeed started paying dividends. “Though my officials are ecstatic, I would like to wait for a couple of months before declaring whether it has succeeded or not. But it is true the system is working in the interest of commuters,” he said. PMPML officials said Bangalore transport body is a profit-making organisation. “And therefore we decided to borrow its idea which has worked in that city,” officials said.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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