Not a day passes without there being some news in the media about how the Pune Metro Rail project is going to liberate Pune from its traffic issues. But the little known fact is that it is steeped in a deluge of issues. Several lofty claims that Pune Metro makes are nothing but an eyewash. With the project under execution now, it indeed is time for Punekars to start the real 'Samvaad' about Pune Metro. Keeping this in mind, we are starting a 'Debunking Metro Myths' series where we will pick up one data point and try to understand, analyze and share it with everyone. 

Parisar conducted a trends analysis of PMPML from 2016-18 on various PMPML performance indicators like ridership, breakdowns, fleet size and so on. The results of the study were alarming, showing a stagnation of ridership for the three years.

The industrial township of Pimpri Chinchwad has a new, independent Police Commissionerate established by the Maharashtra State Home Department in April 2018. Based on a PIL filed in The Bombay High Court in 2003, The Bombay High court has directed Maharashtra government to strictly implement the section 129 of Motor Vehicle Act 1989 in the entire state of Maharashtra from 1st July 2005. Taking cognizance of it, the Pune Police Commissioner office has been carrying out a helmet compliance drive in Pune city since 1st January 2019 in their jurisdiction. However, there seemed to be no indications of implementation of the helmet rule in the Pimpri Chinchwad jurisdiction.
In view of this, Parisar, an NGO based in Pune, which is also a member of the District Road Safety Committee felt it imperative to undertake a helmet compliance survey in the Pimpri Chinchwad region.

The last year hasn’t been for good for PMPML, and consequently bus users have suffered. An analysis of three years of PMPML performance sheets by Parisar brings out this picture clearly, and in fact, be helpful to precisely suggest areas of improvement for PMPML.

The Pune Air Action Hub released a report on the incidence of waste burning in the city and a review of the grievance redressal mechanism of PMC for the same. The report includes a citizen survey indicating that waste burning is rampant in most areas of the city, along with observance of chronic spots. Even so citizens seem unaware of the complaint mechanisms, pointing to the need for awareness about the same. That being said, an independent analysis of complaints lodged showed delay in response to waste burning complaints and other gaps in the process.