PMC Diverts Rs 112 Crore from Road Works to Fund Pune Grand Tour Cycling Race

Pune, 31st July 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has diverted Rs 112 crore for the upcoming Pune Grand Tour cycling race by reallocating funds originally earmarked for road repairs, footpaths, new roads and infrastructure works in newly merged villages, after failing to make a budgetary provision for the event despite it being scheduled to continue annually for the next five years.

The fund reallocation was approved at Thursday’s Standing Committee meeting.

According to civic officials, neither the Municipal Commissioner nor the Standing Committee chairman had allocated funds for the international cycling event in the 2026-27 budget, even though the state government and district administration had announced after this year’s edition in January that the race would be held every year for the next five years.

To arrange the required funds, the civic administration reduced allocations by 10% from nearly 400 road department projects, including road repairs, footpath maintenance, construction of new roads and development works in the 34 newly merged villages. The diverted funds also include allocations meant for corporators’ recommended works and projects incorporated into the budget following requests from MLAs.

The move has once again raised questions over the civic body’s budget planning, with funds for development projects being diverted to meet expenditure for a major sporting event that was already known to the administration while preparing the annual budget.

The issue came to light when the civic administration began preparations to float tenders for the next edition of the cycling race and realised that no dedicated budget had been set aside for the event.

Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale said the administration had proposed the reallocation because no funds had been earmarked for the competition.

“As there was no budgetary provision for the cycling race, the administration proposed the fund reallocation, which has now been approved. Since the event enhances the city’s prestige, adequate provisions will be made for it in future budgets,” Bhimale said.