PMPML is preparing parking, charging and maintenance infrastructure for around 2,500 buses expected to join its fleet, with five new depots planned and five existing depots scheduled for expansion across Pune and its suburbs.
The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited has identified proposed locations at Sutardwadi, behind Eklavya College in Kothrud, Kondhwa, Mohammadwadi and Bibwewadi for the new depots. The existing depots at Balewadi, Shewalewadi, Market Yard, Kothrud and Kumbhare Park will also be expanded to accommodate the larger fleet.
The plans include parking areas for both compressed natural gas and electric buses, along with separate charging facilities for electric buses. PMPML intends to complete cabling, electrical systems and concreting work at the five proposed locations before December, so that the infrastructure is ready before the new buses are inducted.
The charging work is being planned under the PM E-Drive scheme. At Kumbhare Park, bus parking and charging facilities have already been made available, according to the report. The proposed infrastructure is intended to support the expansion of bus services, particularly in areas on the city’s expanding outskirts.
PMPML currently has a fleet of 2,072 buses, of which around 1,760 are available for passenger services, according to the information reported by Lokmat. The transport undertaking operates 385 routes across a service area of 7,256 square kilometres covering Pune and surrounding areas. Its workforce numbers around 8,500 employees, while daily ridership is close to 1.2 million passengers. Passenger services generate approximately Rs 1.5 crore in daily revenue.
To find space for the growing fleet, the district administration has identified 11 government-owned sites, and inspections and consultations for these locations have begun. Proposals for the sites have been sent to the district collector’s office. The construction of depots will depend on approvals for the proposed land, after which the availability of funds, land-use permissions and execution arrangements will become clearer.
The scale of the planned addition means that fleet expansion will require more than buses alone. Parking capacity, charging infrastructure, electrical connections and maintenance arrangements will need to be available before the vehicles enter regular operations. PMPML has stated that the depot expansion and new construction are being planned together with the arrival of electric and CNG buses.
“Arrangements are being made for parking and charging for the newly inducted electric and CNG buses. Existing depots will be expanded and developed, and new depots will also be built. The increase in the number of buses will help strengthen public transport,” Mahesh Awhad, PMPML chairman and managing director, said, according to the report.
The immediate milestones are the administrative decisions on the 11 proposed government sites and the completion of cabling and concreting work at the identified locations before December. Final depot construction and fleet deployment will depend on the approvals and implementation decisions that follow.
