Pune Metro Faces Low Ridership, Raising Questions About Projections And Planning
Pune Metro Faces Low Ridership, Raising Questions About Projections And Planning
With the recent inauguration of the Swargate station, Pune Metro’s first two phases are nearly operational, spanning 33.1 km and costing ₹13,000 crore. However, the project’s ridership numbers tell a different story. Daily ridership stands at 1.55 lakh—far below the projected 6 lakh daily rides estimated for 2021. This discrepancy has reignited debates on whether Pune Metro is on track to deliver on its promises.
Ridership Projections vs. Reality :
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Pune Metro, prepared in 2009 and finalized in 2015, outlined two scenarios for ridership: “most likely” and “optimistic.” Even under the “most likely” scenario, ridership for the PCMC-Swargate and Vanaz-Ramwadi routes was expected to exceed 6 lakh daily by 2021. In reality, the current numbers are barely a quarter of this figure.
This trend isn’t unique to Pune. A 2023 report by IIT-Delhi and The Infravision Foundation revealed that all Indian Metro systems operate at less than 50% of their projected ridership. “There’s a consistent pattern of overestimating ridership and underestimating costs for Metro projects. This often enables project approval,” says Ranjit Gadgil, Program Director at Parisar, a Pune-based NGO.
Questioning Alternatives and Planning
In 2014, the Union Ministry of Urban Development recommended cheaper alternatives like bus rapid transit (BRT) for Pune, considering its projected passenger traffic. However, the Metro project moved forward. Gadgil notes, “The decision to build the Metro in Pune was a fait accompli, driven by political considerations rather than need.”
Urban transport planner Bhaumik Gowande stresses the importance of addressing ridership issues before further expansions. “The projections were for the currently operational lines. If those targets haven’t been met, it’s critical to investigate the reasons instead of blindly expanding,” he says. Gowande adds that local commuting patterns, like the dominance of two-wheelers, were overlooked during planning stages.
Accountability and Transparency
Gadgil raises concerns about the lack of accountability. “Shouldn’t someone question why the projections were so far off? What assumptions in the DPR failed?” he asks. He also questions the credibility of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which prepared Pune’s DPR, calling for scrutiny of its repeated discrepancies in ridership estimates.
The Pune Metro administration has yet to address these issues directly. Officials have cited the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming Maharashtra elections as a reason for withholding comments.
Political Incentives
According to NCP spokesperson Anish Gawande, the preference for Metro projects stems from their flashy appeal. “Metros are big-ticket projects that create a perception of progress. Buses, while effective, lack the glamour and PR potential,” he explains.
As Pune Metro continues its expansion, the project’s low ridership and planning gaps underscore the need for more grounded, data-driven urban transport policies.
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