PMPML to organise ‘Bus Day’ on April 18 as part of 15th anniversary celebrations

For two consecutive days, several activities, initiatives and passenger-centric programmes have been planned by the public transport body

PUNE To commemorate the occasion of its 15th anniversary on April 19, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) will organise ‘Bus Day’ on Monday, April 18. For two consecutive days, several activities, initiatives and passenger-centric programmes have been planned by the public transport body. As part of the ‘Bus Day’ event, the organisation will run 1,800 buses on roads in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

To commemorate the occasion of its 15th anniversary on April 19, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) will organise ‘Bus Day’ on Monday, April 18. (HT FILE PHOTO)

However, PMPML workers’ unions will work on Monday wearing black bands on their shoulders to protest for their demand of salary revision according to the seventh pay commission. “We are going to work on Monday with ‘Bus Day’ event celebrations but at the same time, we are going to tie black strips on our shoulders as a mark of protest. For eight days, various programmes have been organised by PMPML for the event and lakhs of rupees will be spent on the same but workers will not be given revised salaries as per the seventh pay commission…” lamented Sunil Nalawade, secretary of the Rashtrawadi PMPML workers’ union.

“As more number of buses hit the road on Monday, traffic congestion is expected on city roads. To avoid this, we are going to have dedicated lanes for buses on some of the major routes in the city including Kothrud depot to Deccan, Swargate to Vadgaon Dhayari phata, Swargate to Shivajinagar, Jangali Maharaj Road, and Fergusson college road. On all of these routes, there will be a separate lane for buses to run and we will provide bus service to passengers with the help of Pune traffic policemen,” said Dattatray Zende, PMPML traffic manager.

Also to attract more and more commuters towards public transport, PMPML conductors and other staffers will distribute information leaflets to commuters. These pamphlets will have coupons in them and passengers will have to fill up a small form with their information details and then drop the same into boxes kept at all bus stations. A lucky draw will be held and the first prize winner will get a free bus pass for one year, the second prize winner a six months’ free pass, and the third prize winner a three months’ free pass.

While commuters are excited about the ‘Bus Day’ event, Ankita Kanade, a daily commuter, said, “I travel daily from Katraj to Bhosari for my work and there are various things which need to be improved in the bus service. But we are still looking forward to this Bus Day event. If better facilities are provided and the frequency of buses is increased on all major routes, it will certainly benefit the common public.”