Pune: Metro Sees 21.4% Jump In Ridership, 2.62 Lakh Passengers Travel On First Day Of Ganeshotsav

Pune: Pune Metro recorded a significant rise in passenger footfall on the first day of Ganeshotsav, with 2,62,671 passengers travelling on September 14, according to data released by the Metro administration. The figure represents a 21.40% increase over the 2,16,374 passengers recorded on the corresponding day last year.

According to the Pune Metro administration, the Metro recorded an increase of 46,297 passengers this year, as thousands of devotees and citizens opted for public transport amid the festive rush in the city.

Mahatma Phule Mandai Metro station recorded the highest passenger footfall among the major stations, with 51,533 passengers travelling through the station. The figure marked a 21.73% increase compared to last year’s 42,334 passengers.

District Court Metro station, which handles interchange passengers, recorded 58,948 passengers, registering a 21.89% rise over last year’s 48,359 passengers.

Other major stations also witnessed substantial footfall. PCMC station recorded 25,429 passengers, followed by Ramwadi with 23,644, Swargate with 21,099 and PMC with 19,267 passengers.

The Metro administration has increased train frequency to every five minutes during Ganeshotsav to manage the anticipated rise in passenger numbers. Services have also been planned until late at night to facilitate travel for devotees visiting Ganpati decorations and public installations.

For better crowd management, passengers visiting Ganpati installations have been advised to use Kasba Peth, Swargate, PMC, Deccan Gymkhana and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Udyan stations. Mahatma Phule Mandai station has been recommended primarily for return journeys.