Pune Metro, in collaboration with Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML), has launched a feeder bus service from various stations on both the Purple (PCMC to Swargate) and Aqua (Vanaz to Ranwadi) lines to provide last-mile connectivity to commuters.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the Pune Metro released a chart of the feeder bus service. As per the chart, commuters can travel to Kalewadi Phata, Akurdi Railway Station, Dighi and Mukai Chowk from PCMC station, Upper Depot, Dhankawadi and Bharati Vidyapeeth from Swargate station, Bavdhan Gaon from Vanaz station, Warje Malwadi from Deccan Gymkhana and Nalstop stations, Lohegaon Airport from Yerawada and Ramwadi stations, etc.
However, the frequency of these buses ranges from 10 to 150 minutes. Therefore, many Twitter users are criticising the low frequency and demanding that these feeder buses be available every 15 minutes.
"150, 105, 50??? What kind of frequency is this? One can go up and down the metro line 3-4 times in 150 minutes. For the feeder route to be of any use it should have a frequency of 15 minutes at the max. Any lesser is useless," wrote an X user.
Another user commented, "While a good start, such less frequency doesn't make sense. On the Vanaz line, the Garware College-Warje feeder service could be deployed somewhere else better. There are tonnes of buses on this route already."
"Does it make any sense to have a frequency of 50-150 minutes when the metro frequency is 3-7 minutes??!! Of course, the system is going to fail! Instead metro should consider small e-rickshaws plying everywhere in local areas like there are in Noida/ Gurugram," said a third user.
"Frequency of metro is 10 minutes during non-peak and 7.5 minutes during peak hours. Little use of shuttle with frequency of 1 hour and more. Commuters will reach Lonavala by then. Popular routes frequency during peak hours should be 15 minutes and non-peak hours 20 minutes," a fourth user suggested.
Check out the reactions below: