Rs 1,026 Crore PMC Road Projects Face Scrutiny in Pune, Probe Demanded Over ‘Excess Costs’
Pune, 25th April 2026: Serious concerns have been raised over road construction projects undertaken by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with a demand for a detailed investigation into their execution and costs.
Former Leader of Opposition Ujjwal Keskar, along with Suhas Kulkarni and former corporator Prashant Badhe, submitted a representation to Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, seeking a thorough probe. The leaders shared details of their concerns during a press conference.
According to them, the road works were awarded under a credit note-based PPP model, which they claim is legally questionable. They have called for a comprehensive audit of both the work executed and the expenditure incurred.
A total of 20 road projects were carried out under this model, all of which were approved during the period of administrative rule. Independent consultants were appointed for both project planning and post-completion inspection, raising further questions about the process and oversight.
The projects cover a total length of 39.03 kilometres, with a combined tender value of ₹1,026 crore. This translates to an average cost of approximately ₹26.28 crore per kilometre. The complainants allege that this is nearly double the actual cost.
They pointed out that PMC’s standard road construction cost typically ranges between ₹12 crore and ₹13 crore per kilometre. While some variation is expected based on technical specifications, such a significant difference has been termed alarming and a potential burden on public funds.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the quality of construction. The complainants have demanded verification of whether standard specifications, such as base layers and concrete thickness, were followed during execution.
Calling for transparency and accountability, they have urged the civic administration to conduct a detailed inquiry into the entire process and take action against those found responsible for any financial irregularities.
