PMPML Goes In For An Image Makeover

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s decision to allow commercial use of land owned by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has pepped up the transport body chief Dilip Band, who has said that Pune’s bus transport is in the process of transforming into an efficient public transport organisation with quality buses and up-to-date commuter facilities.
Launching the Pune bus guide, developed jointly by the PMPML and Janwani, an initiative of the MCCIA, Band said, “Our prime focus is to encourage college-goers and those in IT services to travel by city buses so that the number of private vehicles on roads will reduce.”
Band said that the delivery of 500 new buses, being procured under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission ( JNNURM), will begin from October. “The buses will have an unique colour combination and doors on both sides,” he said.
The buses and bus-shelters will have public announcement systems, and LED displays. The PMPML, he said, will also be allotting work for intelligent traffic system by which it would be possible to track the movement of buses in an efficient manner. The buses will also have entertainment facilities for commuters.
In addition to the 650 buses already sanctioned by the Union urban development department, the government has in principle sanctioned 200 more buses, Band said. He added that a proposal is in the offing to run air-conditioned buses under public-private partnership basis.
Band said that the design of the new bus-shelters has been finalised and both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations (PMC and PCMC) will be taking up the work to install them.
PCMC will complete the installation of bus-shelters by November-December, while PMC will soon be inviting tenders for the work.
The Union government, he said, has sanctioned 2.5 Floor Space Index (FSI) for bus depots by which, PMPML will be able to redevelop the existing depots with parking facilities for buses and commuters. Some portions of the building will also be used for commercial purposes.
“PMPML is going to benefit financially in a big way by redevelopment of the bus depots,” he said. PMPML will be able to provide “park and ride” facility by redeveloping the depots.
While PCMC has already sanctioned 2.5 FSI for bus depots in Pimpri-Chinchwad, PMC will be discussing the proposal soon, he said. The bus depots will be redeveloped within a period of one year, he added.
Justifying the e-ticketing system which has been adopted by PMPML despite opposition from certain sections of people, Band said that recently the transport organisation has recently awarded an advertisement contract which will fetch Rs 24 crore for the next three years.
“This is almost double the earlier advertisement contract which fetched Rs 18 crore for the last five years,” he said. Band said that now there would be more transparency in the functioning of the PMPML.
PMPML’s joint managing director Satish Kulkarni said there would be qualitative and quantitative improvements in PMPML as only better mobility of people would help in the health and environment related problems facing the city.
PMPML, at present is transporting just 20 to 22 per cent of people. This number has to increase, he said. Responding to a suggestion by MCCIA president Mukesh Malhotra that all buses should be clean, Kulkarni said that cleanliness of buses will be the top priority for the PMPML.
PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s decision to allow commercial use of land owned by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has pepped up the transport body chief Dilip Band, who has said that Pune’s bus transport is in the process of transforming into an efficient public transport organisation with quality buses and up-to-date commuter facilities.
Launching the Pune bus guide, developed jointly by the PMPML and Janwani, an initiative of the MCCIA, Band said, “Our prime focus is to encourage college-goers and those in IT services to travel by city buses so that the number of private vehicles on roads will reduce.”
Band said that the delivery of 500 new buses, being procured under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission ( JNNURM), will begin from October. “The buses will have an unique colour combination and doors on both sides,” he said.
The buses and bus-shelters will have public announcement systems, and LED displays. The PMPML, he said, will also be allotting work for intelligent traffic system by which it would be possible to track the movement of buses in an efficient manner. The buses will also have entertainment facilities for commuters.
In addition to the 650 buses already sanctioned by the Union urban development department, the government has in principle sanctioned 200 more buses, Band said. He added that a proposal is in the offing to run air-conditioned buses under public-private partnership basis.
Band said that the design of the new bus-shelters has been finalised and both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations (PMC and PCMC) will be taking up the work to install them.
PCMC will complete the installation of bus-shelters by November-December, while PMC will soon be inviting tenders for the work.
The Union government, he said, has sanctioned 2.5 Floor Space Index (FSI) for bus depots by which, PMPML will be able to redevelop the existing depots with parking facilities for buses and commuters. Some portions of the building will also be used for commercial purposes.
“PMPML is going to benefit financially in a big way by redevelopment of the bus depots,” he said. PMPML will be able to provide “park and ride” facility by redeveloping the depots.
While PCMC has already sanctioned 2.5 FSI for bus depots in Pimpri-Chinchwad, PMC will be discussing the proposal soon, he said. The bus depots will be redeveloped within a period of one year, he added.
Justifying the e-ticketing system which has been adopted by PMPML despite opposition from certain sections of people, Band said that recently the transport organisation has recently awarded an advertisement contract which will fetch Rs 24 crore for the next three years.
“This is almost double the earlier advertisement contract which fetched Rs 18 crore for the last five years,” he said. Band said that now there would be more transparency in the functioning of the PMPML.
PMPML’s joint managing director Satish Kulkarni said there would be qualitative and quantitative improvements in PMPML as only better mobility of people would help in the health and environment related problems facing the city.
PMPML, at present is transporting just 20 to 22 per cent of people. This number has to increase, he said. Responding to a suggestion by MCCIA president Mukesh Malhotra that all buses should be clean, Kulkarni said that cleanliness of buses will be the top priority for the PMPML.