Police booths at Pune ST depots ready but no cops deployed

Police Security Booths in Pune Remain Unstaffed

PUNE: A month after police security booths were set up at three major Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) depots—Swargate, Vallabhnagar (Pimpri-Chinchwad), and Wakdewadi—no police personnel have been deployed full-time at these locations. This situation raises concerns about police preparedness for passenger safety, despite claims of increased vigilance.

Police Response to Staffing Issues

A senior police official from Pune, who requested anonymity, stated, “The issue of deployment is administrative and not intentional. Coordination between departments takes time, especially with manpower constraints. Police presence at these booths will be ensured shortly, and passenger safety remains a priority for us.”

Passenger Concerns

Passengers express doubt about the effectiveness of the security measures. Sunita Kale, a frequent traveler from Swargate, said, “CCTV cameras are fine but without police on the ground, they do not help much. At night especially, we feel unsafe waiting for buses.”

Rajesh Pawar from Pimpri-Chinchwad added, “If police booths are built, they should be functional. Seeing police personnel gives confidence to passengers and discourages criminal activity.”

MSRTC Passenger Statistics

The Pune division of the MSRTC is the largest and busiest in the state. Approximately 800 state transport (ST) buses depart daily from this division, while over 2,000 buses arrive in Pune from various parts of Maharashtra. On average, nearly 200,000 passengers travel through the Pune division daily. Swargate, Shivajinagar, and Vallabhnagar depots have the highest passenger footfalls, making them particularly sensitive from a security perspective.

Background of Security Measures

In the early hours of February 25, 2025, a man allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside an MSRTC bus parked at the Swargate depot. This incident highlighted lapses in the internal security arrangements of the ST system. In response, the MSRTC increased the number of private security guards at key depots (now 24 at Swargate, 22 at Shivajinagar, 21 at Pimpri-Chinchwad), installed a total of 399 CCTV cameras across the Pune division, and constructed dedicated police security booths at the three major depots to ensure round-the-clock police presence.

Ongoing Criticism

Despite the readiness of the three dedicated police security booths for a month, no police staff have been deployed, leading to criticism from passengers who question the police’s commitment to passenger safety.

MSRTC’s Commitment to Safety

Arun Siya, divisional controller of the Pune ST division, stated, “We have significantly increased the number of security guards and installed CCTV cameras across the Pune division. Police security booths have been constructed at three major depots to ensure continuous police presence. Passenger safety has always been our top priority, and MSRTC has fulfilled its responsibility by providing all necessary infrastructure.”