PMPML Report Card 2010-11

Parisar has come up with a way of quantifying the performance of PMPML, the city's transport provider, operating over 11 lakh trips daily. For the same, we have taken into account 4 parameters of service, identified as being crucial from the point of view of the commuter, namely – RELIABILITY, COMFORT, CONVENIENCE and AFFORDABILITY.The idea was to prepare a comprehensive toolkit which would combine the users’ feedback on the bus service as well as make use of official PMPML data, to give a final grade to the service provided by PMPML.

Total number of buses inspected were 489(from outside) and 113(from inside) for parameters related to cleanliness and maintenance. A total of 40 bus stops were surveyed, including 11 bus depots, where 695 users were interviewed.

The following graph shows how PMPML fared on each of the parameters, as well as an overall service score.

Significant institutional and organisational factors impede the performance of PMPML service. The fact that PMPML has had a change of its Chief Managing Director 10 times in the last 5 years is a sorry state of affairs. The legislative and political influences on the establishment, also, do not seem to help in the effort of revival of the service. According to the Transport Budget Analysis for 2010-11 by Parisar, the budgetary allocation for PMPML is meagre, about 26 crores out of 930 crores, which is less than 3% of the total transportation budget of the city, which leaves PMPML with no scope or thrust for betterment.

The National Urban Transport Policy of India explicitly mentions its support and encouragement to public transport system in cities of India. It spells out that, ‘Enabling the establishment of quality focused multi-modal public transport systems that are well integrated, providing seamless travel across modes’ should be the goal of all cities in India. This report can be viewed as a step towards the achievement of this goal, as it is only by regular appraisal, that any progress can be made.