‘Double the Bus’, say commuters in Pune on World Car-Free Day

So far, 10 Pune-based organisations have endorsed the ‘Double the Bus’ campaign.

September 22, 2025 05:04 PM IST

1 min read

The campaign, held on the occasion of World Car-Free Day, saw commuters and civil society organisations stress the need for policymakers and state governments to invest in, prioritise, and modernise buses.

In Pune, bus patrons, commuters, and members of civil society organisations gathered at Sambhaji Garden bus stop on Monday, as part of a nationwide campaign to ‘Double the Bus’.

“Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad together run around 2,000 buses, equivalent to 19 buses per lakh population. According to the recently updated Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Pune, to meet India’s minimum public transport standards, Pune must actually triple its fleet to at least 6,000 buses, with a 25 per cent share of e-buses. This concrete action can make climate-friendly transport more accessible for the public and lead to a healthier and more sustainable future,” said Shweta Vernekar from Parisar.

So far, 10 Pune-based organisations have endorsed the campaign, including Kalpavriksh, Bavdhan Citizens Forum, Pashan Area Sabha, Area Sabha Association of Pune, Pune Air Action Hub, and People for PMPML.

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