Pune Grand Tour 2026: PMC to Spend Rs 136 Crore Upgrading City Roads
Pune, 10th November 2025: In a first-of-its-kind move, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reallocated ₹136 crore from 338 ongoing road projects to prepare for the upcoming Pune Grand Tour international cycling event, scheduled to take place in January 2026.
Under this plan, the civic body will develop around 75 kilometers of city roads, which form part of the 450-kilometer route of the cycling race that will pass through Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the district limits. The stretches within PMC’s jurisdiction will be upgraded to international standards at an
estimated cost of ₹3.5 crore per kilometer.
The Standing Committee, in its meeting last week, approved the massive reallocation, marking what officials describe as the largest reclassification of funds in PMC’s history for a single event. Funds have been diverted from a wide range of road-related projects, including construction, repairs, missing link roads, land acquisition, and footpath development. Between 5% and 20% of the budget from each project has been reassigned to the cycling event.
Since the event was announced unexpectedly, PMC’s annual budget did not have a specific provision for it. Initially, the civic administration considered seeking financial support from the state government, but due to time constraints, it decided to proceed using existing funds. Two weeks ago, four project packages were approved to begin the roadworks despite the lack of separate allocations.
The ₹136 crore fund diversion has affected projects such as:
Construction of missing link roads
Land acquisition for road development and widening
Asphalting and concrete road works
Leveling of chambers
Culvert construction
Pothole repairs and maintenance
Footpath development and repairs
Development of Development Plan (DP) roads
Procurement of asphalt and related materials
Officials say the works will ensure smooth, high-quality roads for the international cycling event and enhance overall city infrastructure, though civic activists have raised concerns about the diversion of funds from other pending projects.
