In a move to provide affordable and accessible transportation for the deceased to crematoriums, the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has expressed concerns about the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited’s (PMPML) decision to reduce the number of buses dedicated to this service. The reduction from four to one has prompted criticism and calls for increased support.
PMPML has been offering a valuable bus service to transport deceased individuals, accompanied by their family and relatives, from their homes to crematoriums at a nominal fee of ₹300.
Nitin Kadam, the head of NCP’s urban cell, stated, “PMPML operates a service known as Vaikunth Rath, but they have downsized the fleet from four buses to just one. We held discussions with PMPML’s chairman and managing director, Sachindra Pratap Singh, and urged them to deploy at least 15 buses. However, our request was declined on the grounds that the service is not financially viable. We believe that the municipal corporation should provide support to sustain this facility, as PMPML buses are still used for regular routes.”
Kadam emphasized that both the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and PMPML should view this facility from a humanitarian perspective. Many residents cannot afford private ambulances, which are more expensive and have limited passenger capacity compared to buses. He urged the authorities to at least allocate four dedicated buses for this purpose.
An anonymous PMPML driver added insight into the challenges they face, saying, “We receive numerous calls from grieving families who require our services, but it is often challenging to reach all locations in a timely manner. Each trip can take up to three hours, and we are called at all hours of the day. Additionally, we often encounter difficulties finding parking in slum areas.”
This call by the NCP seeks to prioritize compassionate and cost-effective transportation options for residents during their difficult times of loss.
