Pune: Commuters Protest High Parking Charges at Metro Stations
Pune, October 01, 2024: Commuters have expressed outrage over the newly introduced parking charges at Pune Metro stations, especially at the District Court station, where the pay-and-park service was launched today. On the first day itself, there were allegations of overcharging. Instead of the official rate of ₹15 for two hours, commuters were charged ₹15 for just one hour.
#पुणे
— Brijmohan Patil (@brizpatil) September 30, 2024
महामेट्रोने जिल्हा न्यायालय स्टेशनवर आजपासून पे & पार्क सुरू केले.पहिल्याच दिवशी ठेकेदाराने २तासाचे १५₹ घेण्याऐवजी एका तासाचे १५₹ घेऊन लूट सुरू केली.तक्रारी आल्याने@metrorailpuneने ठेका रद्द केला.
मुळात मेट्रोने पार्किंगचे रेट खूप जास्त ठेवलेत. मनपा तासाचे ३₹ घेते#pune pic.twitter.com/0vnrvtKD4Q
Following complaints, Pune Metro Rail authorities reportedly canceled the contractor’s agreement, although this information is yet to be confirmed. The dissatisfaction among metro users continues, with many stating that the parking fees are excessively high.
While people were pleased that the new #Metro would save them from spending ₹200-300 on Ola or Uber, with the commute now costing only ₹30-40, the politicians and bureaucrats had a new plan in mind. They appointed a contractor who would charge ₹15 per hour for bike parking. https://t.co/51VfyBtkzg pic.twitter.com/EvpSDyf37R
— Chaitanya Ket (@ChaitanyaKet) October 1, 2024
Reportedly, Pune Municipal Corporation charges Rs. 3 per hour out of the parking charges at Pune Metro Stations.
One social media user, @puneitguy, shared his frustration, stating, “Pune Metro trying reallyyyy hard to reduce the commuter count on metro. ₹15 per hour? If I park my bike at the station, go to the office, and return in the evening, I’ll have to pay ₹150 for parking. Nonsense! Parking is free everywhere else, I’ll just use my bike.”
Many commuters expected parking to be free for metro card holders, but this has not been the case. For a full day of parking (lets say, 10 hours), users will be required to pay ₹150, which, combined with metro fares, makes using the service financially impractical. Several have indicated that they would rather stick to their two-wheelers instead of using the metro.
For four-wheelers, the situation is even worse, with charges of ₹35 per hour. This means parking for five hours would cost ₹175, in addition to metro tickets. Users on social media are questioning the fairness of such rates.
Another user, @secane50, voiced concerns about the lack of transparency, asking why the name and contact details of the contractor aren’t displayed, and who is managing the funds on behalf of Pune Metro or the municipal corporation. He also raised questions about tracking the collection of GST and other taxes.
