Pune: Poll Promises Put Pune’s Bus Finances Under Spotlight as Free Travel Pledges Multiply
Pune, 13th January 2026: With municipal elections drawing closer, promises of free public transport have emerged as a key campaign plank for several political parties in Pune. However, proposals to make Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus services free have triggered growing concern among transport experts and civic officials, who warn that such assurances could further weaken an already financially stressed public transport system.
PMPML is staring at a projected operational deficit of Rs 948.50 crore in the 2025–26 financial year, even after recent fare revisions intended to shore up revenue. Officials note that while free travel schemes are being projected as voter-friendly welfare measures, there is little clarity on how the substantial loss of fare income would be compensated.
The financial strain is not new. In 2024–25, PMPML generated around Rs 641 crore in revenue but still recorded an operational deficit of Rs 885 crore, underlining the widening gap between earnings and expenditure. To manage mounting losses, the transport utility implemented a 30 per cent fare hike in June following a detailed review during its annual general meeting held earlier this year.
While the fare increase led to a drop in ridership, PMPML’s ticket revenue has improved, with daily earnings currently averaging about Rs 2.40 crore. Despite this, escalating costs related to fuel, vehicle maintenance, and staff salaries continue to push overall expenditure higher, limiting the impact of increased fares on the bottom line.
For the upcoming financial year, PMPML has projected an income of Rs 798.50 crore against an anticipated expenditure of Rs 1,747.01 crore, resulting in an estimated deficit of Rs 948.50 crore. This gap is routinely bridged by deficit compensation from the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations, which together provided Rs 885 crore in 2024–25—a figure expected to rise further if fare revenue is reduced.
Against this financial backdrop, multiple parties have announced free travel schemes in their election manifestos. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised free PMPML travel for citizens aged 75 years and above. The Congress has announced free bus travel for women, while the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have proposed free travel for women and senior citizens. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has gone further, promising free travel on both PMPML buses and the Metro.
Transport policy experts caution that unless such commitments are backed by assured and sustainable funding mechanisms, the burden is likely to fall on municipal finances—and ultimately on taxpayers. As election campaigning intensifies, the debate over balancing welfare promises with fiscal responsibility and the long-term sustainability of Pune’s public transport system is expected to sharpen.
