Pune NGO launches petition seeking increase in PMPML bus ridership

The open petition written to Nayana Gunde, chairperson and managing director, PMPML, highlights how vehicular emissions have the highest adverse health impacts, in terms of air pollution

Parisar and jhatkaa.org, non-governmental organisations (NGO), on May 13 launched a petition to help increase ridership in Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) buses by 25 per cent by 2020.

According to the researchers at Parisar, there is a need to decongest roads by increasing the ridership of PMPML buses (HT PHOTO)

The open petition written to Nayana Gunde, chairperson and managing director, PMPML, highlights how vehicular emissions have the highest adverse health impacts, in terms of air pollution.

According to the researchers at Parisar, there is a need to decongest roads by increasing the ridership of PMPML buses. “While Pune’s population is 3.5 million, the number of registered vehicles has reached 3.62 million. Shifting from cars to public transport will help reduce emissions by 65 per cent during peak hours and 95 per cent during off-peak hours,” said Sharmila Deo, who researched on air pollution.

“PMPML ridership for 2018 was 10,02,000. Taking it as the base figure, an increase by 25 per cent will make it 12,52,500. Thus, the ridership will double by the end of three years. The transport utility should calculate the buses needed to match the ridership and ensure that it run on full capacity,” Deo said.