PUNE: The civic body has refused to fix the automated doors at stops along the Swargate-Katraj Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor stating that the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited did not use them properly in other BRTS corridors.
The open doors along the corridor’s bus stops, which were operational from February 5, is a major safety concern among commuters. V Kulkarni, the head of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s road department, told TOI that automated doors would not be installed at the bus stops.
“The doors at the bus stops are not automated. For automated doors to operate, the PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited) buses should have the radio frequency identification (RFID) system, which is not available in all the PMPML buses. Second, it has been seen in other corridors that the automated doors were not used properly. The doors were manually opened in the morning and closed in the evening. So, there is no point in spending Rs1 crore on something which isn’t used properly by the transport body,” Kulkarni said.
In November last year, the PMPML and the PMC had a spat over starting operations along the Swargate-Katraj BRTS corridor with the former saying that bus services would not resume until the stops had automatic doors.
When asked about the doors being left open, Rajendra Jagtap, the chairman and managing director of the transport body, said, “The automatic doors have not been installed by the PMC and this was the best they could provide.”
Another official of the PMPML said, “Earlier, there were no doors at the bus stops. Now, we have ensured that the PMC fits the doors,” he said. On how safety was not a concern with open doors, the official said, “The PMC is working on it.”
Commuters and activists criticised both the bodies. “What was the whole fight about between the PMC and the PMPML? Does the PMPML want to imply that having open doors at the bus stops is safe for passengers? Why did the PMPML, after taking a stern stand, open the corridor for bus operations?” asked Prakhar Nihare, a daily commuter.
Commuter group PMP Pravasi Manch’s Sanjay Shitole said bus services should be stopped immediately until the minimal requirements, including the installation of automated doors, were met.
The open doors along the corridor’s bus stops, which were operational from February 5, is a major safety concern among commuters. V Kulkarni, the head of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s road department, told TOI that automated doors would not be installed at the bus stops.
“The doors at the bus stops are not automated. For automated doors to operate, the PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited) buses should have the radio frequency identification (RFID) system, which is not available in all the PMPML buses. Second, it has been seen in other corridors that the automated doors were not used properly. The doors were manually opened in the morning and closed in the evening. So, there is no point in spending Rs1 crore on something which isn’t used properly by the transport body,” Kulkarni said.
In November last year, the PMPML and the PMC had a spat over starting operations along the Swargate-Katraj BRTS corridor with the former saying that bus services would not resume until the stops had automatic doors.
When asked about the doors being left open, Rajendra Jagtap, the chairman and managing director of the transport body, said, “The automatic doors have not been installed by the PMC and this was the best they could provide.”
Another official of the PMPML said, “Earlier, there were no doors at the bus stops. Now, we have ensured that the PMC fits the doors,” he said. On how safety was not a concern with open doors, the official said, “The PMC is working on it.”
Commuters and activists criticised both the bodies. “What was the whole fight about between the PMC and the PMPML? Does the PMPML want to imply that having open doors at the bus stops is safe for passengers? Why did the PMPML, after taking a stern stand, open the corridor for bus operations?” asked Prakhar Nihare, a daily commuter.
Commuter group PMP Pravasi Manch’s Sanjay Shitole said bus services should be stopped immediately until the minimal requirements, including the installation of automated doors, were met.
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