Pune: Senior citizens aged 60 years and above will get a 50% concession on PMPML bus fares from Nov 1, the city transport body announced on Friday.Officials said the same had been approved by the board of directors. Under the scheme, senior citizens will be able to travel on PMPML buses at half the regular fare, making public transport more affordable and accessible. Earlier, PMPML had introduced a daily pass for senior citizens at Rs 35, against the regular price of Rs 70, offering a 50% discount.The new decision extends the 50% concession to regular bus tickets across all routes. To avail of the concession, senior citizens must carry their Aadhaar card, PAN card or PMPML’s senior citizen identity card as proof of age. It is mandatory for the Aadhaar card to mention the person’s complete date of birth. The initiative is aimed at providing financial relief to senior citizens who regularly use public transport.At present, around 10 lakh people, including many senior citizens, travel in PMPML buses each day.Pune MSRTC to run 825 additional buses from Nov 1 to Nov 22Pune: MSRTC has decided to operate additional buses during the Diwali period from Nov 1 to Nov 22, officials announced on Friday.In total, 825 additional buses will operate in Pune from Swargate, Wakadewadi and Pimpri Chinchwad to different parts of the state. Officials said the number of buses will be increased depending on passenger demand.Passengers can make reservations at authorised booking centres at the respective ST bus depots and other authorised reservation centres in the city. The corporation has appealed to passengers to avoid travelling by private buses and use MSRTC services instead. No fare increase has been announced for the additional Diwali services.DGCA approves Air India Flying Academy in AmravatiPune: Air India has received approval from the DGCA for its Air India Flying Academy at Amravati’s Belora Airport.The Air India Flying Academy, the first such academy established by an Indian airline in the country, will operate a fleet of 31 single-engine and three twin-engine aircraft for pilot training.Spread across 10 acres, the academy will feature digitally enabled classrooms, student accommodation, a digital operations centre and a dedicated maintenance facility, providing aspiring pilots with world-class training infrastructure while maintaining the highest standards of safety and operational excellence.
