E bus service at Sinhagad fort to start from May 1

Visitors will not be allowed to take the private vehicles in the ghat section

Jigar Hindocha

Pune: In an announcement which will bring in smiles to the tourists, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) and the State forest department has decided to start E-bus service to Sinhagad fort from May 1. This implies that people will not be allowed to take the private vehicle in the ghat section.

 “All the required infrastructural work has been completed.  Private vehicles will not run to the fort once the bus service starts. Visitors have to park the vehicle at the bottom and then either go to the fort via walk or use E-bus service,” said Rahul Patil, deputy conservator of forests, Pune forest department division.

Visitors to the fort have to face lot of hardships due to heavy inflow of private vehicles. The E-bus service was suppose to start on January 26, but got delayed due to infrastructure work that was pending.

 “The e-bus service will commence from May 1. We have provided a parking facility at the bottom of the fort. This initiative will help us to reduce pollution,” said Chetana Kerure, Joint Managing Director, PMPML.

She however said decision has not be taken about the several buses which have been stationed at the fort, right now.

Sharmila Pawar, a frequent visitor to the fort said, “This is a good decision as it will reduce pollution and tourists will not be welcomed by long queues of vehicles.”