Aparaajith Sharmaa

For Times of India-Punes PCMC plus

Date: 13th June 2017

Locally Mobile
PCMC residents talk about the advantages of travelling by local trains in Pune

Local trains as a mode of commuting is synonymous with Mumbai. But

not many people know or prefer the same in its sister city Pune. A lot
changes just 3-4 hours from Mumbai in terms of perception of local
trains.

Pune has long been accused of poor public transport. That is a major
reason for so many two wheelers and now four wheelers in the city.
People prefer two wheelers because of the poor public transport. Buses
are not frequent and do not ply on multiple routes. There are no trams
or taxis.

But local trains are a preferred choice for many people. The local train
route in Pune connects Pune city to the end of PCMC stations like
Talegaon and Dehu road. It passes through PCMC stations like Dapodi,
Kasarwadi, Pimpri and Akurdi. These areas have multiple commuters
who take this route to office and college in different parts of PMC and
PCMC.

One of the prime reasons for choosing this is the time it saves in the
morning commute. I stay in Dapodi and my office is in Koregaon Park.
It takes me an hour and a half just to reach office by bus in the mornings.
But by local train; I can get there in half hour-45 minutes. That time is
precious in the mornings says Jayanthi Sharma (51, Govt. Servant)

Another reason people prefer it is its cost effective nature and

convenience. It is cheap in terms of a one-time ticket and cheaper in
terms in terms of a monthly pass. The issues like potholes, speed
breakers, rash driving and rampant honking are non-existent in local
 Aparaajith Sharmaa
For Times of India-Punes PCMC plus
Date: 13th June 2017

trains. Pune traffic can be avoided as well says Bhosari resident Prashant
More (24, College goer).

Local trains also contribute to Punes earlier title of pensioners

paradise. With bad roads and insufficient bus transport, I tend to use
local trains more than anything else. My children and extended family
live in various pockets of PMC and PCMC. I also visit temples and go
to the Bank. Local trains prove to be faster and safer says Kasarwadi
resident Alamelu Srinivasan (80, pensioner).

Some people also think of the benefits for the government in peoples
preference of local trains. A lot of stress is put on roads because of
personal vehicles. Commuting by public transport not only helps our
environment, but also our state economy says Phugewadi resident
Suprita Shetty (28, office goer).

Local trains are a convenient and cheap mode of transport. They also
make commuting chaos-free by eliminating the traffic element. And to
add to this, it is quicker compared to other means of transport. With
the plan to introduce metro trains in Pune, higher frequency of local
trains can be combined with them to reduce the stress on the citys road.
They will also benefit the economy and the environment.