Pune: When Anushree Jadhav, a front-office executive at a private firm on JM Road, stepped out to find an autorickshaw or cab to take her home in Hadapsar on Tuesday evening, she was left struggling for over three hours.“My office closed at 7pm, but I couldn’t get any transport until past 10pm. I don’t remember how many autos I stopped — they all refused the trip. More than 10 ride requests on cab aggregator apps went unanswered. If there had been Metro connectivity to my area, I would have used it. Finally, I called my brother, who reached my office around 10.30pm to pick me up. I got home only by 11.45pm,” she told TOI.Sporadic rain spells have compounded commuting woes across Pune, with office-goers finding it increasingly difficult to get autos and cabs, particularly during evening peak hours. Like Jadhav, many commuters said drivers either refused rides outright or ignored requests on aggregator apps, forcing them to wait for hours or depend on family members for a ride home.“There are nearly 1.7 lakh autorickshaws and around 45,000 cabs in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, yet we struggle to get a ride. During the rains, it becomes even worse,” said IT professional Abhishek Sarathi. He waited over 90 minutes each on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings for a ride from Hinjewadi Phase III to Nigdi. “The app showed Rs325, but the driver charged Rs480, claiming that he wouldn’t get passengers on the return trip because of the rain,” added Sarathi.Kaustav Rana, who had visited SGS Mall in Camp with his wife on Wednesday, faced a similar ordeal. “It wasn’t even raining heavily, but no auto driver was willing to go to Lullanagar. Some demanded Rs500. After waiting for nearly two hours, I finally agreed to pay Rs450 without riding by meter,” he said.Mundhwa resident Ritesh Palange also found himself stranded after leaving work in Camp. “I had given my two-wheeler for servicing. One cab after another rejected my request, and auto drivers didn’t even stop. I should have reached home by 6pm but finally got there around 9pm after taking a PMPML bus,” he said.Autorickshaw drivers refuted with the claim that rains increase their operational risks. “A falling tree branch once badly damaged my vehicle. Long traffic snarls mean wasted fuel and time. With high CNG prices, accepting every ride isn’t always practical,” an auto driver told TOI, requesting anonymity.Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials urged commuters to formally report refusals. “People can send complaints, along with evidence, to our dedicated WhatsApp number 8275330101. We receive many verbal complaints, but very few formal ones. Action can be taken only when complaints are officially lodged,” a senior RTO official said.
