PUNE: The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has started over 50 new routes in the last two months as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers’ strike is still going on, making it difficult for passengers to travel to remote villages in the state.
Earlier, daily commuters were facing difficulties as they were completely dependent on MSRTC buses. As such, the PMPML bus services have not only increased but also extended routes across and outside Pune district. “We were getting demands from people in rural areas and even local representatives like MPs and MLAs to start and further extend some of the existing routes. Accordingly, we are now starting new routes every week, especially in the rural parts, to provide services to commuters,” said Dattatray Zende, PMPML traffic manager.
“Recently, we have added many new routes in Pune district such as Nigdi to Alandi, Alandi to Bahul village, Katraj to Saswad, Yavat on Solapur highway to Saswad, Swargate to Kashing village, and Sangavi to Alandi and extended routes such as Katraj to Vinzar,” Zende said.
While commuters are happy with these new routes and the bus services of PMPML, Ashok Jambhale, a resident of Saswad, said, “I would earlier travel daily by ST bus to Yavat for my job but as the strike started, we have been facing issues. I had to go with a friend on his bike or wait for private vehicles to travel. But now as the PMPML bus services have started, it has given great relief to all villagers who travel for work.”
{{/usCountry}}While commuters are happy with these new routes and the bus services of PMPML, Ashok Jambhale, a resident of Saswad, said, “I would earlier travel daily by ST bus to Yavat for my job but as the strike started, we have been facing issues. I had to go with a friend on his bike or wait for private vehicles to travel. But now as the PMPML bus services have started, it has given great relief to all villagers who travel for work.”
{{/usCountry}}Since the past over four months, MSRTC workers and their unions have been protesting for various demands. A Kruti Samiti of the unions was formed to start a conversation with the state government. However, the main demand of merging the MSRTC with the state government was compromised according to the workers so now all the workers (apart from the union members) have spontaneously started the strike.
While the Mumbai high court has not yet given any decision on the issue as a three-member committee had submitted a report on behalf of the state government that it is not feasible to merge the MSRTC with the state government.