Pune Metro to run trains every 5 minutes at peak hours as Mahametro adds trips
Mahametro will run trains every 5 minutes at peak hours as ridership rises, and says it is ready to cut the gap to 4 minutes if needed.
Pune Metro's ridership is rising every day and queues are forming at stations. In view of this, Mahametro has taken a decision to give commuters relief. During peak hours, trains will now run every 5 minutes to make travel easier for passengers.
The administration has also said it is preparing to cut the interval further to 4 minutes if required. The decision is expected to bring major relief to lakhs of Punekars who travel daily.
In September, 93.58 lakh passengers travelled on the two Pune Metro lines combined, the highest ridership in a single month so far. The daily average in September reached 3.1 lakh. The administration says the Ganeshotsav crowds pushed the figure up, but sources acknowledged that daily ridership has also risen well.
Services on the new Shivajinagar-Hinjewadi metro route are likely to begin in the coming days. Once the route opens, Pune Metro is estimated to gain about 50,000 more passengers.
Mahametro Managing Director Shravan Hardikar said, "The administration is continuously taking steps to reduce crowding on the metro. A new route is starting and the network is expanding, so new trains are also being purchased to handle the growing crowds."
Two routes are currently operational in the city: Vanaz to Ramwadi and Swargate to PCMC. Passengers are strongly demanding six-coach trains on these routes at peak hours. Aditya Kale, a Shivajinagar resident, suggested, "To begin with, at least during peak hours, six-coach metros should be run so that passengers get enough seating and travel is easier. The platforms at all stations are suitable for six-coach trains, so there is no technical difficulty."
Metro officials said the detailed project report (DPR) for running six-coach trains is ready and will be sent to the Centre for final approval. As a temporary measure, their priority for now is to run more trips at intervals of 3 to 4 minutes. Officials clarified that six-coach trains will actually be put on the tracks in the next phase, as soon as the Centre approves.
