Women from this nondescript village near Pune in Maharashtra unlock the opportunities to get educated and employed, thanks to the launch of bus services to the city 

For the people of Nasrapur village, their gateway to education, employment and empowerment is just a bus ride away. Located 36 km from Pune city, Nasrapur is a thriving example of how mobility can improve the quality of life. Students, labourers, working women and senior citizens form part of the burgeoning crowd, whose dreams and aspirations are dependent on the bus service. Here are some insights from the conversations with the daily commuters, who are keen to make new friends and refresh old ties during the two hour travel to Pune.

(Above) Tickets for different long-distance bus routes mentioning their respective prices; (below) A board at Katraj bus depot with information about bus routes and schedule  (Photo - Rutuja Chougale, 101Reporters) 

"Ten years ago, there was only one state transport bus to Pune from our village. The journey in itself was a very unpleasant experience due to the poor condition of buses, lack of good roads and the resulting fear of accidents," says Swati Zende (32), who was a student then. Girls who travelled to the city for education and job opportunities preferred hostel accommodation over the uncertainty and insecurity attached to public transport back then. Parents were also reluctant to send their children for higher studies, while women hardly thought of securing a job after education. Accessing health facilities was also difficult. All these problems remained until public transport service under Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) began.

Girls and women using PMPML services for their daily commute to schools and workplaces (Photo - Rutuja Chougale, 101Reporters)

Students take the bus to reach their schools every day (Photo - Rutuja Chougale, 101Reporters)

 Passengers alighting at Vinzar bus stop from bus no 296 that runs with a regular frequency on the Katraj-Vinzar route via Nasrapur (Photo - Rutuja Chougale, 101Reporters)

A ticket checker interacting with a group of senior citizens travelling on the bus (Photo - Rutuja Chougale, 101Reporters)

A crowded bus in the evening, as everyone is heading home (Photo - Rutuja Chougale, 101Reporters)

In the absence of adequate bus services, such private vans (above) and shared autos step in to fill the void (Photo - Rutuja Chougale, 101Reporters)