Pune: For many Vimannagar residents, Metro’s promise of affordable travel fades before the journey even begins, with autorickshaw rides to the nearby station often costing more than the Metro ticket.Residents said reaching Ramwadi Metro station from nearby localities like Sakorenagar and Konark Campus could cost anywhere between Rs 40 and Rs 180 for a short 5-10-minute autorickshaw ride. “A Metro ride from Ramwadi to Deccan Gymkhana costs only Rs 22, but getting to the station is often far more expensive,” resident Ashwini Desai said, alleging that many autorickshaw drivers ignored meters and quoted arbitrary fares.The problem is compounded by a lack of reliable last-mile connectivity. A Sakorenagar resident, who lives barely a kilometre from Ramwadi station, said, “There is no direct bus service and autorickshaw drivers routinely demand Rs 60-70 for the short trip. A proposed e-rickshaw service has yet to materialise.”Commuters complained that poor access infrastructure around Ramwadi station had worsened the situation. Traffic congestion, roadside parking, vendor encroachments and inadequate drop-off space often made it difficult for passengers to enter or exit the station. “The stretch outside the station is often clogged. Vehicles struggle to stop long enough for passengers to get down,” resident Himanshi Patel said.Senior citizens are particularly affected. Mira Williams, who regularly uses Metro, said the lack of a dedicated feeder service between Vimannagar and Ramwadi had made public transport less accessible. “Wherever there is a Metro, there should be feeder buses connecting nearby areas. Autorickshaw drivers are taking advantage of the lack of connectivity,” she said.Williams said some seniors preferred getting off at Kalyaninagar station and taking an autorickshaw home because the route was easier and less congested than via Ramwadi. “Feeder buses every 30 minutes could significantly improve Metro access,” she said.The residents also pointed to inconsistent autorickshaw fares. “The fare from Konark Campus to Ramwadi can be Rs 40, Rs 50 or Rs 60 depending on the driver,” Rupa Kapadia said, adding that reduced frequency on PMPML route 166 had limited its usefulness.The issue is not confined to Vimannagar. An NIBM resident said a recent journey involving an autorickshaw ride to Swargate and a Metro trip to Kothrud ended with a Rs 125 auto fare and a Rs 22 Metro ticket. “We spend nearly Rs 150 one way on a route where the Metro fare is just Rs 22. There is no proper feeder connectivity,” the resident said.Even commuters living within walking distance of stations face challenges. Sahil Raj, a resident of Dhole Patil Road who works in Shivajinagar, said travelling 800 metres to Ruby Hall Metro station was not always feasible on foot. “Many autorickshaw drivers refuse the trip. App-based fares often show Rs 70-100, and some drivers demand even more,” he said.Airport travellers have similar concerns. Kalyaninagar resident Prashant Joge said the discontinuation of a feeder bus service between Pune airport and Ramwadi Metro station had left passengers dependent on costly autorickshaw rides. “Now we don’t know when a bus will come. Autorickshaw drivers often charge Rs 200-250 because they assume air travellers can afford it,” he said.Authorities, however, insisted efforts were under way to bridge the last-mile gap. PMPML officials said a Metro feeder network of 75 buses was currently operating on 20 routes. Commuters, however, argued that citywide numbers meant little if neighbourhood-specific services remained infrequent and unreliable.Messages sent via WhatsApp to Rapido and Uber went unanswered till going to press. Company sources, however, said the system did not automatically reduce fares for short trips. “Fares vary with demand and, at times, traffic and timing. When demand is high, dynamic fares rise and fall when it’s low,” a source said.Maha Metro said it was working with PMPML to expand feeder routes and is conducting surveys for additional services. “More routes are being added, and surveys of additional routes are on. We have partnered with autorickshaw unions to run share-a-rickshaw services on select routes from Metro stations. Kiosks have recently been launched at two stations,” Chandrashekhar Tambhavekar, head of PR at Maha Metro, said.
