Acting promptly to deal with the unexpected strike of bus drivers working for private contractors on Friday and Saturday, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) deployed its own drivers to avoid inconvenience to passengers. Demanding an increase in their salaries, around 200 bus drivers employed by Travel Time Company went on strike without prior notice to the administration and sought the transport body’s intervention in the matter, a PMPML official said. In response, the public transport provider deployed drivers who were on their scheduled weekly offs on the routes that were to be affected. PMPML Chairman and Managing Director Sachindra Pratap Singh expressed his appreciation for the workers who stepped in and congratulated them for executing seamless services. Officers said that drivers of electric and CNG buses at Kothrud depot and Wagholi, Pune bus stations also went on an abrupt strike simultaneously. While the drivers in Kothrud ended their protest, the strike continues at Wagholi and Pune stations. A passenger who regularly commutes from Kothrud to Wagholi said she was aware of the protest but did not see any impact on the service. Harish Kathwate, supervisor of the Kothrud depot, said they effectively coordinated with drivers from other depots and also reached out to a few drivers who were on their weekly off. “Small issues like timing might be there, but we did not let it affect the public,” he said. PMPML public relations officer Satish Gaate said the protest did not have much impact on services. The number of buses on the roads on August 24 was 1,705 with 13,45,091 commuters, while on August 25 – the first day of the strike – it was 1,602 and 13,00,749, respectively.
