Stepping up a gear in their drive to ensure bus tickets are priced at Rs 5 for the first five km, a delegation of several NGOs met the officiating Managing Director of PMPML Dr Shrikar Pardeshi yesterday
The commuter groups presented him with the names of 10,000 online petitioners and 1,000 signatures of commuters supporting the campaign titled ‘Mission 5 @ 5’.
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Dr Pardeshi, while speaking to MiD DAY, said that financial condition of PMPML was delicate and that the current priority was to make the transport body self-sustainable while delivering good service to commuters.
“I am not saying no to this proposal. It should be studied in great detail then only we will be able to comment on the same,” Pardeshi said.u00a0For the last few months, PMP Pravasi Manch, Sajag Nagrik Manch and many other NGOs were actively campaigning for their ‘mission’.u00a0
They have been claiming that if bus travel within the city is made cheaper, then many commuters who otherwise use two-wheelers to commute would start using buses as a safer mode oftransport, considering more than 200 bikers die every year in road accidents.
Vivek Velankar, of Sajag Nagri Manch, said that representatives of the committee have only urged Pardeshi to appoint committee to analyse the financial aspects if such a scheme is to be launched.
Jugal Rathi, of PMP Pravasi Sangh, said, “Dr Pardeshi has assured us that he would consider our proposal, but said he would not be able to promise us on the same.”u00a0