PMPML During COVID — FY 2020-21
FY 2020-21 was the pandemic year. Maharashtra's lockdowns from March 2020 cut PMPML's daily ridership to just 2.83 lakh passengers. Of 2,259 buses across 13 depots, only 728 were on road — a fleet utilization rate of 32%, compared to 74% in FY 2023-24. Revenue fell to ₹37 lakh per day system-wide.
This annual depot-level report is the only structured snapshot of PMPML operations during the COVID period. It shows not just the system-wide collapse but which depots were most affected — and how the balance of own vs. hired buses shifted.
System at a Glance
Buses On Road (Daily Avg)
Fleet Utilization
Daily Ridership
Daily Revenue (₹ Lakh)
FY 2023-24 comparison: 1,658 buses on road, 74.4% utilization, 12.08 lakh daily passengers.
Note: 4 depots that exist today — Baner, Charholi, Maan, Wagholi — were not yet operational or not yet included in this report.
Fleet Utilization by Depot
Only 3 depots exceeded 40% utilization. The peri-urban depots with large hired fleets (Nigadi, Bhekrai Nagar) had the most buses sitting idle — contractors fielded vehicles even as passenger demand evaporated.
Daily Ridership by Depot
Ridership distribution during COVID did not simply mirror fleet size. Nigadi led despite low own-fleet utilization because it had 182 hired buses providing peri-urban Pune coverage. Balewadi, running only its 83 PMPML-owned buses with zero hired vehicles, had the lowest ridership.
Own vs. Hired Buses On Road
System-wide, hired buses were 26% of all vehicles on road — far lower than their 65%+ share in FY 2023-24. Balewadi and Swargate operated with zero hired vehicles during this period.
Schedule Adherence
Schedules sanctioned but not operated reflect both reduced demand and COVID-era service disruptions. Most depots operated close to their (already reduced) sanctions.
Full Depot Data
See Also
- Annual Performance Report — FY 2023-24 vs 2024-25: the post-COVID recovery baseline
- Depotwise Reports — Monthly depot data from Jan 2023–Dec 2025
- PCMT Before PMPML — Pre-merger bus operations 1995-2007
Source: PMPML Annual Statistical Report FY 2020-2021. Covers 13 depots active at the time. Baner, Charholi, Maan, and Wagholi depots were not included. "Upper Depot" is listed as "Marketyard" in the source document.