Oppose PMPML bus fare hike

PMPML is the sole provider of public transport in the Pune Metropolitan Area and caters to over 1 million trips daily. It is the lifeline for lakhs of students, workers and senior citizens from all income groups, but especially the poor.

Transport systems in Indian cities are collapsing under the strain of growing cars and two-wheelers, also leading to congestion, pollution and rising accidents. Good, affordable and reliable public transport is the only answer. Yet, instead of focusing on improving the quality of public transport, the city of Pune has consistently ignored it and refuses to give it the financial support it needs to improve. Meanwhile crores upon crores are spent on flyovers.
PMPML is already one of the most costly city bus services compared to Chennai, Mumbai etc
Every time the price of diesel goes up, fares are hiked.

This is totally unwarranted for these reasons:-

1. It is possible to make up for the fuel cost increase by other means - reducing non-ticketing, ensuring more buses on the road, route rationalization, more income from advertisements and reducing waste and corruption.

2. Simple measures like waiving VAT and Octroi on fuel and parts for PMPML can make up the losses.

3. Increasing fares also decreases ridership - so total increment to PMPML is not as expected.

4. The city must not look at public transport as a self-supporting service - it must be subsidized (reasonably).

5. The Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations control the PMPML Board and hence are themselves responsible for any inefficiencies and must act to correct them.

6. The poor suffer when fares are hiked.

7. Higher income people find PMPML less attractive and eventually shift to their own private vehicles adding to the already unbearable traffic in the city.

Hiking fares is the most short-sighted step that can be taken by the authorities and not in the best interest of the city at all!