In a major relief for elderly commuters who are dependent on Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday announced a 50 per cent concession in the fare for senior citizens.
The proposal was presented during the civic body’s annual budget, which has crossed Rs 15,000 crore for the first time. The new concession aims to make public transport more affordable and accessible for senior citizens across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Officials stated that the move is part of a broader push to encourage the use of public transport while providing financial relief to vulnerable sections of society.
The PMPML service, which caters to lakhs of daily passengers, is expected to see increased usage following this decision.
Meanwhile, the PMPML has once again witnessed a leadership change with the appointment of Mahesh Awhad as its new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). He became the 23rd CMD since the PMPML was formed in 2007.
Awhad is a 2015-batch IAS officer who previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority in Mumbai.
He replaced Pankaj Deore, who had taken charge on July 17, 2025, but could not complete even a year in the position after alleged corruption in the department over promoting staff in favour of a dedicated amount as per the promotion of the post.
