The flip side is the PMPML saves around Rs 55 lakh annually when it cancels these trips. This is possible as each running kilometre for PMPML runs up a loss of Rs 10 for the utility.

Each schedule has an average of four trips for short distances and up to eight trips for longer distances. The cancelled kilometres run up to 1,500 kms daily. At an operational loss of Rs10 per km or Rs 15,000 daily, it eventually saves the utility Rs 54.75 lakh a year of cancellation.

“The cost for each running km is Rs 38 while the revenue earned per km is Rs 28. The loss for running each km is Rs 10. However, because of this loss we cannot lock up all our buses in the depots. PMPML is a public service utility,” said Deepak Unnavane, Accounts Manager. The accumulated losses up to 2005-06 for PMPML were Rs 191 crore.

“As of Tuesday, there is a shortage of 350 drivers in the erstwhile PMT depots. On Tuesday, 26 schedules were cancelled at Swargate, 22 at Katraj, 18 at Hadapsar, 12 at Narveer Tanaji wadi, 8 at Kothrud and 4 at Market Yard simply because there were no drivers,” said an official from the Traffic Department. Besides the crunch in drivers, PMT depots also have to account for drivers’ weekly offs, absenteeism and leave. This number works out to abound 75 drivers on an average daily.

Unlike PMT where buses are in surplus, PCMT depots have sufficient drivers. Trips are not cancelled here because of manpower crunch but due to breakdowns, tyre punctures, airlock or traffic jams. PMT depots have a surplus of buses and 15 buses out of every 100 daily are sanctioned for maintenance purpose daily. The erstwhile PMT and PCMT had merged to incorporate PMPML in September 2007.