A crowd outside Mandai Metro station during Ganeshotsav in Pune
Pune: As many as 60.55 lakh commuters opted for Metro and/or PMPML services to visit various pandals across the city during Ganeshotsav, generating a combined revenue of Rs 29.16 crore. On Anant Chaturdashi alone, Metro services operated round-the-clock, transporting 5.8 lakh commuters and earning Rs 85.62 lakh. During the 12-day festival period, Metro recorded a ridership of 48.3 lakh passengers. The number of Metro passengers grew by 135% compared to 2024 and by 30% over 2025. During the Ganapati festival, Metro carried 20.45 lakh passengers in 2024, and the figure rose to 37.17 lakh in 2025. The highest footfall on a day was recorded at Mahatma Phule Mandai Metro station (70,000 passengers), while 10.4 lakh commuters used the interchange facility at District Court station to access the feeder network in the 12-day period. On visarjan day alone, 1.22 lakh passengers used interchange facilities within a 24-hour period. Digital transactions emerged as the preferred payment mode, with 71% of commuters using digital ticketing and 86% making payments through UPI or cards. PMPML services also witnessed heavy passenger traffic during Ganeshotsav from Sept 14 to 23. a total of 12.25 lakh commuters used PMPML buses during the period, compared to 9.09 lakh during Ganeshotsav last year While the figures for Sept 24 were not available. “This year, an average of 1,775 buses operated every day, compared to 1,776 last year. Revenue also increased from Rs 20.45 crore last year to Rs 21.66 crore this year,” said a PMPML official.
The journey was long, but comfortable,” said Ravi Dayal, a daily commuter and working professional. Metro, however, emerged as a convenient alternative to personal vehicles or PMPML buses for travelling to Pune’s core city areas, where heavy congestion discouraged the use of private transport during the festival, citizens said. In addition, extra station management personnel and medical facilities were deployed at high-traffic stations,” said a senior Metro official.
Restrictions on PMPML buses and private vehicles in central Pune were among the key reasons citizens opted for Metro. The fleet strength remained almost unchanged, but passenger numbers surged significantly. “Buses were a lifesaver for me. One evening, I was stranded near the Dagdusheth temple and could not find an autorickshaw or taxi to reach Hadapsar. I spotted a PMPML bus and hopped on. After changing buses a couple of times, I reached my destination. “Train frequency was increased to every five minutes to handle the heavy footfall.
Because we used the Metro, “We could seamlessly visit the Manache Ganpati mandals. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
The lanes in the peth areas were packed with pandals and advertising arches,” said Gauri Kulkarni, a resident of Kothrud. Download the TOI App.