PMPML's Fleet Expansion: 500 CNG Buses to be Added in 2024

Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) is gearing up to enhance its fleet with an addition of 500 CNG buses this year. Ramesh Chavan, PMPML's Chief Engineer, announced that the transport utility, which has not added any new buses for over a year, will take ownership of these new CNG buses. The tender for the procurement has been issued, and the first set of buses is expected to be delivered starting in April, with the entire procurement process to be completed by July.

Currently, PMPML operates a fleet of 2,079 buses, with about 1,600 of them in daily service. Over 300 buses in the fleet are due for immediate replacement. With schools reopening after the summer vacation, PMPML plans to have the first 100 buses ready and in service. This will enable the utility to retire all the old buses. At the same time, the procurement of an additional 400 new CNG buses will begin. A significant portion of these buses are expected to join the fleet in the second half of the year. By the end of 2024, PMPML aims to operate a total of around 2,500 buses in its fleet.

In addition to the CNG buses, PMPML has completed a project to convert diesel buses into e-buses. This significant achievement, a year in the making, has seen the converted bus undergo a trial run at the Kothrud depot. The bus has received the necessary approvals from the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). If the trial run proves successful, PMPML may consider converting 216 diesel buses into e-buses in phases.

However, commuters have expressed concerns over the high number of breakdowns last year. Nitin Keni, a working professional, urged PMPML to work diligently this year to minimize breakdowns and reduce passenger inconvenience.