PMPML will introduce a 50 per cent fare concession for senior citizens travelling on its buses across Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority area from November 1, giving eligible passengers the option of paying half the regular ticket price on all bus routes.
The concession will apply to daily bus tickets and is separate from the discounted daily pass already available to senior citizens. According to the report, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited administration has already introduced a concessional daily pass priced at Rs 35. The new ticket-level discount is intended to benefit passengers who make shorter journeys or travel on only one route and do not need an all-day pass.
Under the revised arrangement, senior citizens will be able to buy individual tickets at half the applicable fare instead of purchasing the full-price ticket or opting for the daily pass. The concession will be available across PMPML’s bus routes in the Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and PMRDA areas.
Passengers seeking the benefit will have to carry proof of age and show it to the bus conductor. The documents accepted for the concession include an Aadhaar card, a PAN card or a senior citizen identity card issued by PMPML.
The report specifically states that an Aadhaar card must contain the passenger’s complete date of birth, including the day, month and year. This requirement will be used to establish eligibility at the time of ticketing. Passengers without the required proof may not be able to claim the half-fare concession during their journey.
The change creates two concessional travel options for senior citizens: the existing Rs 35 daily pass for those who make multiple trips during the day, and the new 50 per cent discount on individual tickets for those making a single or shorter journey. That distinction is significant for passengers whose travel patterns do not justify paying for an all-day pass.
PMPML operates the public bus network serving Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, along with areas within the PMRDA region. For senior citizens who depend on buses for routine travel, the administration’s decision changes the cost of both local and longer bus journeys, although the final saving will vary according to the route and ticket fare.
The 50 per cent ticket concession is scheduled to come into force on November 1. Senior citizens intending to use the benefit will need to carry one of the accepted identity documents, with the date-of-birth requirement applying specifically to Aadhaar cards.
