Pune Pink Line Metro operator Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL) has reversed its decision to ban bicycles inside coaches, allowing passengers to carry cycles on the 23.2-km Maan-Civil Court corridor after commuters questioned the restriction.
The reversal came on the second day of operations, after Puneri Metro issued an advisory in the morning saying bicycles would not be allowed inside trains. The operator said the restriction was intended to support safe and smooth travel, but commuters challenged the decision on social media and pointed to the existing practice on Maha Metro’s two lines.
PITCMRL cited commuter demand, sustainable mobility and last-mile connectivity while announcing the change. Mitul Jhaveri, chief financial officer of the Pink Line operator, said the initial decision followed an assessment of expected demand and operational considerations.
“We studied the likely demand and felt that possibly around 10 commuters would carry bicycles. So, initially, we wanted to focus on mass commuters and their convenience. After further evaluation, we allowed passengers to carry bicycles as their numbers will be small,” Jhaveri told The Times of India.
The decision is significant for passengers who need to cover the distance between stations, homes and workplaces without depending on another motorised mode. Commuters also highlighted the potential use of bicycles by people travelling to and from the Balewadi Sports Complex. Regular cyclist Amin Sheikh said the restriction should not have been imposed because Maha Metro already permits cycle carriage.
Maha Metro introduced bicycle carriage as part of its multimodal integration plan. In 2021, its officials demonstrated the facility by travelling with bicycles between Phugewadi and Sant Tukaram Nagar stations. Maha Metro’s guideline says passengers may carry cycles by hand in any coach as long as they do not obstruct or inconvenience other passengers.
The Pink Line’s bicycle policy is therefore being introduced against an existing operational precedent elsewhere in Pune’s metro network. The operator’s initial concern was the likely number of bicycles and the effect on mass commuters, while the revised decision treats the expected volume as small enough to permit carriage without a separate restriction.
The bicycle decision came as the new corridor recorded around 50,000 passengers on its first day of passenger services. Civil Court station was the busiest, handling nearly 25,000 passengers. Anil Kumar Saini, CEO of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, described the first-day response as “overwhelming”.
The operator’s revised policy now allows passengers to carry bicycles on Pink Line trains, subject to the requirement that cycles should not obstruct or inconvenience other commuters.
