PMPML to begin bus service for students

“These buses will ply six routes in the morning and evening hours.We are aiming to ease the evening traffic when the schools close down. These buses will will operate on all school days. We will also appoint our men at bus stops near schools to facilitate the service,” Pardeshi said. Jugal Rathi of PMP Pravai Manch has welcomed the move,but said it was grossly “inadequate.”

“The student population in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad is approximately four lakh. The PMPML plan is only for six routes serving only a few schools for one to two hours per day. If there are ten trips on these routes each carrying 60-70 students the service will cater to about 700 students only,as against the requirement of catering to 4 lakh students,” Rathi said.

According to Rathi,a better planned service can be started if the PMPML has a genuine intention to serve the students.

“PMPML can get the information of the number of passholder students from different schools and starting and closing timing of their schools along with their travel destinations. If the transport body plans or reshuffle the bus schedules along these routes,the issue can be handled more effectively,” he added.