In November, the ridership on Pune's two operational Metro routes, namely Vanaz to Ruby Hall Clinic and Pimpri-Chinchwad to Civil Court, witnessed a decline for the second consecutive month. The count dropped from 16.72 lakh in October to 14.2 lakh in November, showing a gradual decrease since September's 20 lakh riders.
Meanwhile, netizens are actively attributing this decline to several factors, primarily citing issues related to last-mile connectivity, inadequate parking facilities near stations, and the absence of feeder services.
An X (formerly Twitter) user noted, "Inaccessible stations. No adequate feeder bus service from NDA to Nal Atop. During peak hours, buses coming from NDA Gate can be seen flooded with passengers. No comprehensive mobility plan in action. No joint pass scheme for buses and metro. No parking lots."
Another user highlighted, "Last-mile connectivity is a major reason. Once the service from Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi is operational the passenger footfall on Vanaz to Ramwadi metro line will increase significantly. It'll benefit most of the folks commuting to & from Kalyani Nagar & Viman Nagar."
One user questioned the accuracy of the 14 lakh figure. "The actual count might be lower. Over 12 lakh people rely on PMPML buses daily. Poor route selection might be a reason for the Metro's struggle. Imagine seamless travel from Vanaz/PCMC to the airport," he wrote.
Adding to the discussion, another user suggested, "Very poor last-mile connectivity. For the metro to make a substantial impact, it needs to cover end-to-end lines from Wakad to Wagholi and Nasik Phata to Katraj, addressing the needs of the majority of daily commuters."
Despite the concerns, some users remained optimistic, attributing the November decline to Diwali vacations.
"November was a Diwali month. Offices were closed and employees were on vacations. Outstation students had left the city as well," one user pointed out.
"November was vacation month," echoed another user, underscoring the impact of the festive period on the ridership figures.
Check out the reactions below:
