PMC finalises transfer of 20 plots to Maha-Metro for parking near metro stations

Most of these plots are near the Ramwadi, Vanaz, Anandnagar, PMC, Deccan Gymkhana, Ruby Hall Clinic, Bund Garden and Yerawada metro stations.

Pune

While some stations do have limited parking, the rising number of commuters has far outstripped the parking capacity. (Mahendra Kolhe/HT)

Metro commuters who have for long struggled with leaving their vehicles unattended and coughing up fines due to the lack of dedicated parking at metro stations can now breathe easy. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has finalised the transfer of 20 plots near metro stations to Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) for parking facilities, officials said.

Dinkar Gojare, head of the PMC’s property management department, confirmed that final registration of these plots has been completed and they will soon be handed over to Maha-Metro. Most of these plots are near the Ramwadi, Vanaz, Anandnagar, PMC, Deccan Gymkhana, Ruby Hall Clinic, Bund Garden and Yerawada metro stations.

Along the 15.7 km Vanaz to Ramwadi corridor having 16 stations within PMC limits, Maha-Metro has been unable to arrange parking at eight stations namely Vanaz, Anandnagar, Deccan Gymkhana, PMC, Ruby Hall, Bund Garden, Yerawada and Ramwadi. Parking has been provided at Garware College station with the PMC’s help but it is inadequate. Limited two-wheeler parking is available at Mangalwar Peth and Kalyaninagar stations. Civil Court, Shivajinagar and Swargate stations have ample space. At Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Udyan, the PMC has offered land for mechanised parking on a profit-sharing basis.

Currently, the metro operates at full capacity on both the Vanaz to Ramwadi and Swargate to Pimpri-Chinchwad routes. While some stations do have limited parking, the rising number of commuters has far outstripped the parking capacity. With feeder buses available only on select routes, many commuters rely on personal vehicles, worsening the parking crunch at metro stations. According to Pune Metro officials, parking remains a major challenge after the full launch of metro lines 1 and 2 and the situation has only worsened. There is no parking space at several metro stations, especially in the old city areas such as Regional Transport Office (RTO), Bund Garden, Deccan Gymkhana, and Ruby Hall. Many commuters park their vehicles on footpaths while some are forced to depend on feeder services.

A Maha-Metro official on condition of anonymity said, “There is no concept of providing parking in metro services. Ideally, commuters should use feeder services instead of bringing personal vehicles. We have increased the frequency of feeder bus services with the help of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML). Since this mindset will take time to develop however, we are providing parking wherever land is available. We have requested the PMC to provide amenity spaces for parking near metro stations.”