The traffic congestion problem of Pune has found space in political addresses ahead of the municipal corporation polls. Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP SP chief Ajit Pawar on Saturday said the city’s traffic congestion was causing residents a loss of about Rs 900 crore every month. He further said that the problem could be addressed through the introduction of free public transport.
Speaking at the launch of a joint manifesto for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections, Pawar said the city’s heavy reliance on private vehicles was resulting in fuel wastage and loss of productive time. He said Pune has around 30 lakh private vehicles, of which about 15 lakh are on the roads daily.
Pawar explains Pune’s Rs 900 crore monthly loss
According to Pawar, traffic congestion leads to an additional one hour of travel per commuter each day. He said this results in the consumption of about half a litre of fuel per vehicle daily, costing roughly Rs 50. “This amounts to a fuel loss of about Rs 7.5 crore per day,” he said.
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Pawar added that the loss of one man-hour per commuter, estimated at Rs 250, translates to about Rs 22.5 crore per day. “Taken together, the daily loss is around Rs 30 crore, which works out to Rs 900 crore a month and about Rs 12,800 crore annually,” he explained.
Ajit Pawar offers solution
The deputy chief minister said free public transport could be implemented through funding support to Pune Metro and Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML). He said Pune Metro would require around Rs 5 crore per month and PMPML about Rs 20 crore, taking the total cost to Rs 25 crore per month or Rs 300 crore annually.
Pawar said the expenditure was manageable given the Pune Municipal Corporation’s budget of about Rs 12,600 crore and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s budget of about Rs 9,600 crore. He said strengthening PMPML operations and improving Metro services would make a free transport system viable.
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Joint manifesto release
The remarks were made as the NCP and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) jointly released their manifesto for the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body elections scheduled for January 15.
The manifesto includes promises related to water supply, traffic management, cleanliness, healthcare, pollution control, redevelopment of slums and old buildings and education reforms. |
