The night bus service, known as 'Raat Rani,' introduced by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) on five routes, has garnered a positive response from passengers, with nearly 27 lakh people utilising the service in the past six months.
Commuters arriving in Pune from various parts of the state via Railways, State Transport buses, or private transport have frequently voiced concerns about being charged extra fares by rickshaws, taxis, and app-based services like Ola and Uber during nighttime. To address this issue, PMPML initiated the night bus service on five major routes within the city.
The night buses operate along the following routes: Katraj-Shivajinagar-Katraj, Katraj-Pune Station-Katraj, Hadapsar-Swargate-Hadapsar, Hadapsar-Pune Station-Hadapsar, and Pune Station-NDA Gate-Pune Station. Running from 10pm to 6am, these services have garnered significant passenger traffic, resulting in a monthly income of approximately ₹5 to ₹6 lakh for PMPML.
In terms of financial performance, the night bus service has contributed substantially to PMPML's revenue, generating ₹30.85 lakh from direct ticket sales in the past six months. Routes such as Katraj-Pune Station and Katraj-Shivajinagar have witnessed higher passenger volumes, with an average of around one lakh passengers per month, while other routes accommodate between 60,000 to 90,000 passengers monthly.
Meanwhile, PMPML has instructed bus drivers to be present at departure stations and actively engage with passengers to promote the service.
