Parisar has released a new report titled 'Gender Action Plan Framework for Pune', authored by Tanzeel Allapur, examining the safety, accessibility, and everyday experiences of women using public bus services operated by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML).

The study draws on a survey of 540 women commuters, focus group discussions with women from service-sector backgrounds, and bus stop infrastructure audits at seven locations in Hadapsar. The findings show that while buses remain an essential and affordable mode of transport for many women, several systemic barriers, such as long waiting times, unsafe walking routes to bus stops, overcrowding, and limited staff intervention in harassment cases, continue to affect their mobility.

Fare-free public transport refers to a system where passengers can use buses and other public transit services without paying at any point of travel. The idea goes beyond simply removing fares, it reframes public transport as essential social infrastructure that guarantees access to movement, opportunity, and public life.

A common and important question that follows is: who pays for it and how does it make financial sense? This report addresses these concerns directly. Instead of relying on ticket revenue, the system is funded through public finance mechanisms such as government budgets, dedicated mobility funds, levies, or cross-subsidies. 

Parisar has released its Cycle Track Audit Report (2024–25), a comprehensive assessment of Pune’s cycling infrastructure at a time when the city is gaining global visibility through the Pune Cycle Grand Challenge.

The audit covered 35 km of cycle tracks across 19 roads, divided into 77 segments of 500 metres each. The findings reveal significant gaps in safety, comfort, and continuity, showing that Pune is still far from meeting the standards envisioned in its 2017 Comprehensive Bicycle Plan (CBP).

The PMPML Dashboard has been conceptualised to capture various performance parameters of the city's public bus service.

PMPML has been consistently putting out a lot of important performance data like ridership, revenue breakdowns, etc., on a monthly basis. However, this monthly data becomes more valuable after analysis, giving trends and comparative insights on performance.

Ideally, such analysis could help inform decisions by the PMPML management. Apart from this, the dashboard could be useful for organisations working on mobility as well as journalists. For more details, please reach out to us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Link to the dashboard: