₹1,100 Crore Wasted On Pune BRT Project: AAP Leader Mukund Kirdat

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a sharp attack on the government and the civic administration over the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Pune, alleging that nearly ₹1,100 crore of public money has been wasted on a project that failed to achieve its intended objectives.

In a statement, AAP leader Mukund Kirdat said the BRT system had the potential to significantly improve Pune's public transport network if it had been implemented and managed effectively. He claimed that while the project was backed by Central government funding, local authorities failed to ensure its proper execution and long-term sustainability.

Kirdat alleged that instead of strengthening the BRT network, authorities shifted their focus to expensive infrastructure projects such as the Metro, while neglecting the need for an integrated public transport system. He also pointed out that despite repeated demands from transport experts and citizens for seamless public transport integration, these concerns were ignored.

He further criticised the planning and execution of civic infrastructure projects, saying that many schemes suffer from poor planning, inadequate funding, lack of political will, or poor maintenance after completion. According to him, the BRT project is a classic example of this pattern.

Kirdat said that while the BRT corridors were primarily designed to improve bus-based public transport, the number of daily bus commuters has remained around one million over the past decade instead of increasing. He attributed this to the lack of sustained efforts to improve the system and poor last-mile connectivity. He also expressed concern that increasing development through higher FSI without corresponding improvements in civic infrastructure could create long-term financial and urban planning challenges for Pune.

Holding both the civic administration and successive governments responsible, Kirdat said that both the present BJP leadership and the previous NCP-Congress administrations failed to prioritise the city's long-term transportation needs.

As a symbolic reminder of what he termed the misuse of public funds, Kirdat suggested that one BRT bus stop should be preserved as a "monument to administrative failure" and a plaque installed bearing the names of all the municipal commissioners and mayors who were associated with the conception, implementation and eventual decline of the project.