PMPML seeks 500 seven-metre mini buses from Centre for Pune's narrow lanes

Public transport access in Pune's older areas could improve if the Centre approves a proposal from Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML). PMPML has sought 500 small buses, each seven metres long, to run in areas where regular buses find it hard to get through.

The proposal has been drawn up with the city's Peth areas and inner roads in mind, where running standard 12-metre and nine-metre buses is difficult. Limited road space holds up the movement of large vehicles and creates operational problems for PMPML.

The smaller buses will fill this gap. They will be able to reach residential pockets that buses in the current fleet cannot easily enter. They will also run as a feeder service, allowing people to travel from their neighbourhood to a nearby metro station and to complete their journey by bus after getting off the metro.

The move is part of an effort to run buses and the metro as one connected transport network. Metro routes offer fast travel along major roads, but passengers still need convenient local transport to get from the station to their home, office or another destination.

PMPML has asked for 500 buses of seven metres. For now, the buses have neither been approved nor purchased, and their arrival depends on the Centre's approval. The cost of procurement, the delivery timeline, the funding arrangements and the proposed routes have not yet been announced.

For central Pune, the proposal is an attempt to address a practical shortcoming of the existing bus network, as large buses cannot reach every narrow lane and inner road. If the buses are introduced with approval and proper route planning, the smaller buses could widen access to public transport, improve metro feeder connectivity and reduce people's dependence on private vehicles for short trips.