Mumbai, July 20 -- The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) will conduct trial runs of double-decker electric buses on 10 routes in the city that are not served by either the Bus Rapid Transit system or the Metro. The fresh trials are scheduled to begin on July 21 and the shortlist includes routes such as Hadapsar-Wagholi and Hadapsar-Swargate. The selection prioritises corridors lacking rapid transit to measure potential demand and operational fit.
The decision follows an earlier pilot in the Hinjewadi area in September 2025, where subsequent opening of Metro Line 3 on that corridor altered passenger flows and heightened concerns that demand for PMPML services could fall. Officials also identified operational challenges during the previous trial, including route suitability and traffic interaction, which encouraged the search for alternative corridors. The new exercise aims to generate practical data on performance in mixed urban traffic.
Representatives of Switch Mobility, the company that supplied double-decker buses to Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking, met PMPML officials to finalise trial arrangements and agreed to provide one double-decker electric bus on July 20. Company personnel will be present throughout testing alongside PMPML staff to monitor technical performance and collect operational metrics. Data gathered will be analysed to judge energy consumption, turnaround times and passenger boarding patterns. The findings will inform scheduling, maintenance planning and capacity decisions for future procurement.
PMPML leadership has stated that trials will be confined to non-Metro and non-BRT corridors so that operational feasibility and passenger response can be properly assessed. The transport utility will evaluate the buses' suitability for Pune's road widths, stop placements and traffic conditions before deciding on wider deployment. The exercise is intended to inform longer term planning for the city's surface transport fleet. Stakeholders will review results before any fleet expansion decisions are made.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.