PANVEL: Panvel is set to get its first municipal bus service, with the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) approving a ₹ 287.55-crore plan to introduce 100 to 130 buses on 16 routes in the first phase. The proposed network will have 68 bus stops, five depots, 76 charging stations and an intelligent transport management system to improve connectivity across the rapidly expanding civic area.
It comes after a feasibility study found that existing services operated by Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) and BEST were inadequate to meet the growing public transport needs of the area. The proposal was unanimously approved at a special general body meeting on Thursday, October 15, chaired by mayor Nitin Patil.
“The objective is to provide Panvel residents with affordable and safe bus services. He added that a special committee would be constituted to oversee implementation. Congress corporator Latif Sheikh suggested that half the buses should run on gas rather than electricity. He also called for smaller buses to serve narrow roads and urged the administration to study the experience of other municipal transport undertakings. The administration is exploring the possibility of using electricity from a proposed waste-to-energy project being developed with CIDCO to charge electric buses. “Affordable fares, connectivity to railway stations and a regular timetable are essential. House leader advocate Prakash Binedar backed the proposal and called for a dedicated committee to monitor implementation.
Municipal commissioner Mangesh Chitale said rural areas account for 6% to 8% of the corporation’s geographical area but house around 12% to 15% of its population. The plan also seeks to improve connectivity between CIDCO-developed colonies and 29 villages. Chitale said power could be available at ₹ 5 per unit, potentially reducing operating costs, subject to final supply arrangements.
We will complete the administrative process and follow up for the necessary government approval,” Patil said. He said the consultant would be asked to incorporate changes, including smaller buses, to ensure the service caters to residents across the jurisdiction. The project must be implemented at the earliest,” Soman said.
He urged the administration to use the time before the service becomes operational to finalise bus types, stops and depots, while taking corporators’ suggestions into account.
