‘Double-Decker’ for IT Employees in Hinjewadi, Kharadi, Magarpatta… Trial Team Next Week

Pune | As inconvenience for information technology (IT) companies in areas like Hinjewadi, Kharadi, and Magarpatta increases—prompting discussions around relocation—the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has decided to start double-decker buses specifically for these regions. This service will be launched initially on a pilot basis for the IT sector.

To resolve the traffic congestion issues faced by IT employees, the PMP administration has invited a private company’s team next week to conduct a site inspection around these IT company areas for launching double-decker buses. After the inspection, PMP plans to immediately begin operating these buses on selected routes as a pilot project.

In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad cities, IT hubs are concentrated in areas such as Kharadi, Hadapsar, Magarpatta, and Hinjewadi. For the past few days, Hinjewadi has been grappling with severe traffic jams and lack of infrastructure. IT companies have also warned of relocation. In response, Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar has directed the concerned administrative bodies to immediately implement remedial measures in the area.

For the past five years, the PMP administration had been planning to introduce double-decker buses to ease traffic and improve public transport for the IT sector. Several proposals were drafted, and multiple meetings were held, but no implementation took place. These proposals ended up gathering dust. Finally, as a preventive measure against traffic congestion, PMP’s newly appointed Chairman and Managing Director Pankaj Devre has decided to introduce double-decker buses in IT areas. He recently held a meeting with members of a concerned private company and invited a team to conduct a site visit in the coming week. Accordingly, a trial run on selected routes proposed five years ago will be conducted, informed Joint Managing Director Nitin Narvekar.

This bus is 14 feet and 4 inches tall, ensuring that no road-level obstructions would cause issues. Being electric and air-conditioned, the bus can accommodate 70 seated and 40 standing passengers at a time, offering a comfortable travel experience. Developed with modern technology, the bus is also expected to have economical maintenance costs.

Double-decker buses are planned on routes with the highest commuter traffic from IT companies. A team from the concerned company will arrive in Pune within the next week. After surveying the routes, services will be launched on a trial basis. The goal is to reduce private vehicles on roads by increasing bus frequency and thus provide a better transport alternative.

— Nitin Narvekar, Joint Managing Director, PMPML