PMPML will reopen its Dhankawadi pass centre from November 1, restoring a local facility that had remained closed since the COVID-19 pandemic and forcing residents to travel elsewhere to obtain bus passes. The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited said the decision follows repeated requests from commuters, residents and local public representatives.
The centre will operate from Monday to Saturday between 9 am and 4 pm. It will remain closed on Sundays, according to the transport body.
The reopening is expected to assist students, working professionals, labourers, women commuters and senior citizens living in Dhankawadi and nearby areas. Before the facility resumed operations, passengers requiring new or renewed bus passes had to travel to other locations, adding time and inconvenience to routine access to PMPML services.
Residents and commuters had repeatedly raised the demand for the facility to be restored after its closure during the pandemic. The requests came from different passenger groups as well as local public representatives, with the central concern being the difficulty of accessing pass-related services outside the neighbourhood.
PMPML’s decision brings the pass service closer to the passengers who use the public bus network in Dhankawadi and surrounding areas. A local pass centre is particularly relevant for users who depend on regular bus travel for education, employment and daily necessities, although the transport body has not provided details on the number of commuters expected to use the facility.
The reopening also marks the return of a passenger-facing service that had remained unavailable for about six years. PMPML has appealed to commuters to make use of the centre during its operating hours. For further information, passengers can contact the transport body on 020-24503236.
