Pune: The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) will increase its operational fleet by at least 100 buses taking the total number to 600.

The number of passengers using the PMPML bus services in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad cities has increased. The administration of both cities permitted the PMPML to resume its services from September 3 after the government gave some relaxations on the lockdown.

In the initial phase of strict lockdown the PMPML had only 50 buses operational for ferrying personnel engaged in essential and exempted services. Later on when the services resumed in limited capacity, about 421 buses were brought on roads to service passengers. Now this count has been increased to a total of 600.

PMPML Traffic Manager Dattatray Zende shared his observation with media persons that the daily passenger count has increased considerably after the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations allowed shops in the cities to remain open till 9pm every day. Passengers from as far as Wagholi, Talegaon Dabhade, Talegaon Dhamdhere, Rajgurunagar, Saswad, Uruli Kanchan are using the PMPML services daily. Also, daily passengers from Bhosari, Katraj, Hadapsar, Nigdi, Kothrud, Sinhagad Road, Upper Indira Nagar, Dhankawadi and Vishrantwadi have increased considerably. Hence the additional buses have been deployed on these routes dominantly. Also, the buses will now ply till 10 pm.

Since PMPML has ensured that social distancing norms are being followed, only 50 per cent seating capacity is being utilised. Hence if the passenger count increases then PMPML has to increase the number of buses plying on roads. Considering the upcoming festive season with Navratri from October 17, Dussehra on October 24 and Diwali from November 14, the PMPML administration expects that the passenger count will increase further. Hence more numbers of buses are being serviced and kept ready.