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1,764 pax fined for ticketless Metro travel in past five months
Following expansion of the Metro from Vanaz to Ruby Hall and Pimpri-Chinchwad to Civil Court in August 2023, there has been a significant increase in passengers
As the number of people riding the Pune Metro has increased, so has the number of passengers travelling without a valid ticket. So much so that over the past five months, the Pune Metro has taken action against 1,764 commuters for travelling without a proper ticket, according to the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro). Most of these incidents have occurred at the Ruby Hall, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Civil Court metro stations.
Following expansion of the Metro from Vanaz to Ruby Hall and Pimpri-Chinchwad to Civil Court in August 2023, there has been a significant increase in passengers. Currently, an estimated 50,000 to 55,000 passengers ride the Metro daily. Passengers have multiple options to purchase tickets, including the Metro app, WhatsApp, ‘Ek Pune Card’ and ATVM machines present at every metro station. In response to the increased ridership, the Maha-Metro has enforced strict travel regulations, penalising passengers travelling without valid tickets. Between August 1, 2023 and January 2024, a total 1,764 passengers were found travelling without proper tickets and faced punitive measures.
It was in September 2023 that the Pune Metro announced that passengers travelling without tickets or without valid tickets will be penalised; a fine of ₹85 will be imposed on them. According to the rules, passengers have to begin their journey within 20 minutes of purchasing a ticket from the initial station, failing which a fine of ₹10 per hour is imposed with ₹50 as the maximum penalty.
Hemant Sonawane, executive director of the Pune Metro, said, “To inform people about the penalty for invalid tickets and ticketless travelling on the Metro, we made an official announcement in September 2023. Earlier, less people were travelling and most of the people did not know. Now, the Pune Metro ridership has increased. So, we have started collecting fines to maintain order and ensure that everyone follows the rules for a smooth travel experience. The fines are meant to discourage ticketless travel and emphasise the importance of sticking to the Metro’s guidelines.”
The Pune Metro line 2 operates from Vanaz to Ruby Hall Clinic whereas line 1 operates from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Civil Court. Initially, the Pune Metro had plans to start passenger services on the Vanaz to Ruby Hall Clinic stretch up to Ramwadi in February. However, the Metro did not receive the safety certificate from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) to begin passenger services. Once the Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi stretch starts, the Pune Metro will complete the line 2 route covering Vanaz to Ramwadi.
