RTI reveals extremely high rate of passenger attrition for PMPML
12 Jul, 2013
The reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has lost around 2 lakh passengers over past eight months. Earlier, there was a rise in the fare charged from the passengers.
The reply to the application states that in August, 2012 before the fares were increased, the number of persons commuting through PMPML bus services was 11, 84,000. The number of commuters dropped to 9, 81,000 in April 2013 depicting a decrease of over two lakh passengers. The high rate of decrease in the number of commuters has been attributed to increase in fair, poor services and poor condition of the buses. The RTI applicant stated that the decision to run 600 buses on hired basis is also affecting the commutation as the hired buses have led to fair hikes as well as frequent accidents.
The joint managing director of PMPML has told that though fair-hikes are inevitable due to rise in fuel prices, the issue of connectivity and frequency will be soon taken care of by introduction of 1,100 new buses over next five months.