Pune: Austerity on Paper? PCMC Buys Rs 49 Lakh Cars for Mayor, Municipal Commissioner

Pimpri Chinchwad, 19th June 2026: Even as the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) faces a strained financial situation and has directed departments to adopt austerity measures, the civic administration has approved the purchase of two high-end vehicles for the mayor and municipal commissioner at a combined cost of nearly Rs 49 lakh.

The decision, approved by the standing committee, has drawn criticism from opposition parties and activists, who have alleged that the BJP-led civic body is sending contradictory signals by advocating cost-cutting while sanctioning expensive vehicle purchases.

According to civic officials, an electric luxury vehicle costing Rs 29.35 lakh was purchased for Mayor Ravi Landge through direct procurement without inviting tenders. In addition, around Rs 15,200 was spent on vehicle registration and insurance.

Municipal Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi has been provided a new vehicle costing Rs 19.80 lakh, which was also procured directly without a tender process. Registration and insurance expenses for this vehicle amounted to about Rs 15,200.

The purchases, along with related expenditure, were approved during a standing committee meeting chaired by committee chairman Abhishek Barne. Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi, additional commissioners Kuldeep Jangam and Tapti Sondur, and other officials were present at the meeting.

The move has come at a time when the civic body has been emphasizing financial discipline and expenditure control. Critics have questioned the need for acquiring new luxury vehicles when existing vehicles were reportedly being replaced regularly by the administration.

The issue is likely to trigger a political debate over the civic body’s spending priorities amid ongoing concerns about its financial health.