Pune: PMPML Buses To Skip Peth Area Routes During Ganesh Utsav

Reported by Varad Bhatkhande

Pune, 5th September 2024: To witness the famous Ganesh Utsav, which is celebrated grandly in Pune, many citizens gather, and even people from outside Pune come to see it. This influx results in traffic congestion. To address this, the Pune Police Traffic Branch has implemented a rule banning heavy vehicles and occasionally closing roads during rush hours, which sometimes includes roads used by Pune’s transport lifeline, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML). As a result, alternate routes will be used.

Here are the bus numbers and route changes:

Bus Route Numbers: 2, 2A, 2B, 11, 11A, 216, 298, 354, Metro 13, 21, 37, 38, 88, 297, 28, 30, 10.

Changes:
1. During the Ganesh Utsav period, buses on these routes will be diverted. Instead of entering Chhatrapati Shivaji Road, they will travel from Jangali Maharaj (JM) Road, Balgandharva Chowk, Deccan, Sambhaji Bridge, and Tilak Road to Swargate Chowk, and then continue on their normal route.

2. After Tilak Road is closed for traffic, buses will divert via Lal Bahadur Shastri Road to Dandekar Bridge, then proceed to Laxmi Narayan Chowk via Mitra Mandal Chowk, and return to their normal route.

3. No changes have been made to the route while returning, as long as Bajirao Road is closed for traffic.

Bus Route Numbers: 3, 6

Changes:
1. Buses on these routes will be discontinued when the roads they travel on are closed.

Bus Route Number: 55

Changes:

1. When the roads on this route are closed, the bus will bypass Shanipar Chowk and Mandai and instead travel through Nataraj Stand. The normal route through Ambil Odha Colony and Senadatta Police Chowky will continue for both inbound and outbound journeys.

Bus Route Numbers: 58, 59

Changes:
1. When the roads on these bus routes are closed, buses will be diverted through the Deccan Gymkhana Bus Stand.

Bus Route Numbers: 8, 81, 94, 108, 143, 144, 144A, 144C, 283

Changes:
1. There are no changes to these bus routes while travelling from Kothrud to Pune Railway Station.
2. However, on the return journey from Pune Railway Station, buses will travel via Sassoon Hospital, Maldhakka, Old Bazar, Pune Municipal Corporation Building, Congress Bhavan, Balgandharva, Deccan, and Khanduji Baba Chowk Bus Stands before resuming their normal route.
3. These changes will take effect after the police close down Laxmi Road.

Bus Route Numbers: 9, 174

Changes:
1. The bus on route number 174, while coming from Pune Railway Station, will travel via NC Kelkar Road and ABC Chowk. It will then follow the normal route towards Lal Mahal, continue to Devji Baba Mandir Chowk, turn right onto Gurudwara Road, pass Hamje Khan Chowk, and then turn left to resume the normal route.
2. If Laxmi Road is closed for traffic, the bus on route number 174, which normally travels from Pune Railway Station to NDA Kondhwa Gate, will follow an alternate route. The bus will proceed via Modern Bakery Chowk, then turn left at Seven Loves Chowk and right towards Swargate Chowk. From Swargate Chowk, it will continue past Nehru Stadium, Sarasbaug, Tilak Road, and finally reach Deccan Corner.

Bus Route Numbers: 7, 117, 202

Changes:
1. When the roads are closed, buses on these routes will travel via Mhatre Bridge, Swargate, Shankar Sheth Road, and Seven Loves Chowk, then turn left at Ramoshi Gate. They will continue past Bhavani Mata Mandir, and Mahatma Gandhi Stand, and then resume the normal route. Once the Bhavani Mata Mandir area is closed to traffic, buses will divert via Golibar Maidan and Mahatma Gandhi Stand before continuing on their normal route.

Bus Route Numbers: 12, 42, 299

Changes:
1. After Lal Bahadur Shastri Road closes, buses on these routes will travel via Dandekar Bridge, Senadutta Police Chowky, Mhatre Bridge, and Deccan via Karve Road before resuming their normal route.

Bus Route Numbers: 5, 24, 24A, 235, 236

Changes:
1. There are no changes to these bus routes; they will continue on their normal route.

Bus Route Numbers: 180, 181

Changes:
1. When the traffic police close the normal road, these buses will travel via City Pride Mangala Multiplex, Surya Hospital, Kumbhar Wada, Old Bazar, Bolhai Chowk, Lal Mandir, Westend, Old Pulgate, and Mahatma Gandhi Stand before resuming their normal route.

Bus Route Numbers: 4, 26, 68, 71, 339, 232, 103, 89, 90, 64, 72, 78, 199

Changes:
1. When Tilak Road closes during Ganesh Utsav, these buses will travel via Lal Bahadur Shastri Road and Dandekar Bridge.

Bus Route Numbers: 113, 113A

Changes:
1. During the route closure, these buses will continue operating from PMC Pump in both shifts.

Bus Route Numbers: 17, 50

Changes:
1. After Chhatrapati Shivaji Road closes for traffic, these buses will travel via Swargate and Natraj Stand.

During the Ganesh Utsav period, the bus routes have been adjusted as outlined above following the closure of roads in the central area of the city around 5:00 PM. However, if the Traffic Branch adjusts the traffic regulations in time, bus operations will continue accordingly.