Pune: After span of five months, a real rush was seen at bus stands of Swargate, Shivajinagar, Pune Station, Bhosari, Pimpri as the PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited) resumed its services on Thursday. More than 65,000 passengers were ferried by the PMPML.
Passenger traffic resumed on Thursday since it was closed in April. The PMPL released 477 buses on 190 routes in Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad. All buses were disinfected after each round. 120 shuttle buses were also released.
Each bus had a maximum of 22 passengers. About 35,000 passengers travelled between 6 am to 2 pm on Thursday, earning about Rs 5.5 lakh in the PMP's coffers. Sanitisers are also provided in all PMP depots. Marking has also been done for where the passengers should stand in the bus. It has been suggested to accommodate one passenger in each seat, said Rajendra Jagtap, President and Managing Director of PMPML.
Passengers were seen at bus stops on Sinhagad Road, Hadapsar, Upper Indiranagar, Dhankawadi, Katraj, Kondhwa, Wagholi, Vishrantwadi, Bhosari, Pimpri, Nigdi and more since morning. Although the number of passengers seems to be low as it is the first day, the number of passengers will increase from Friday, Jagtap predicted.
One of the travellers Mukund Thombre said, "I travelled from KK Market to Vaiduwadi. All precautions are being taken. The conductor didn’t allow to enter the bus if found without a mask.” Sulbha Kumbhar said, “After a span of four months, I travelled from PMPML. Everyone was wearing masks. The bus had a sanitiser too.”
Ganesh Patil, the conductor on Swargate-Saswad route, said, "The entire bus is sanitised after each round of the trip. We suggest that only one passenger is allowed to seat on two sits. Passengers are also responding well too.”
Total passengers: 65,000
Revenue generated: 11 lakh
