MCC Impact On Pune Civic Works: New Tenders, Fund Transfers May Face Closer Scrutiny

Pune: Development works in Pune are unlikely to stop completely after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections.

However, fresh financial decisions, new project approvals and other policy matters are expected to face greater scrutiny during the election period.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced elections to five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats on Tuesday. These include the Pune Division Graduates' and Teachers' constituencies. Polling will be held on October 23 and counting will take place on October 27. The election process will conclude by October 31. The MCC came into force immediately after the schedule was announced.

For the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the code comes at a time when several civic projects and ward-level works are at different stages of planning, tendering and approval.

However, PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has said civic development will continue despite the MCC. He said around 90% of PMC's works fall under the essential category. Proposals for such works will continue to be placed before the Standing Committee and General Body for consideration and approval.

Fresh financial decisions may face scrutiny

The main impact of the MCC is expected to be on new decisions rather than works that are already underway or have received the necessary approvals.

PMC officials and elected representatives have been working on proposals for roads, footpaths, stormwater drains, drainage lines and other civic infrastructure. Several ward-level proposals also involve reallocating funds between works.

Regional offices have been preparing estimates for such projects, with tenders planned over the coming weeks. The election code could now affect the pace at which fresh financial provisions, administrative sanctions and new tenders are processed.

The administration will have to examine such proposals under the ECI's MCC guidelines before taking decisions. This means the civic body will have to distinguish between ongoing works, already sanctioned projects and proposals that require fresh approval.

₹15,669-crore PMC budget under focus

The PMC's 2026-27 budget is worth ₹15,669 crore. A significant portion of the budget is meant for capital and development expenditure. The MCC comes into force when the civic administration is also processing several project proposals and financial decisions for the current financial year.

Corporators have been submitting proposals to the Standing Committee for fund reallocations for ward-level works. Some of these proposals are still pending approval. The key question now is whether the proposals can be cleared under the MCC or whether they will require scrutiny or permission from the election authorities. The code, however, does not automatically cancel or freeze works that have already been approved or are already in progress.

The PMC Standing Committee recently approved expenditure of ₹3,722 crore for two major projects. This includes ₹2,634 crore for the High-Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) and ₹1,088 crore for land acquisition for the Inner Ring Road.

Implementation processes for these projects have already begun. The administration will now have to determine whether any upcoming financial or administrative steps connected with them require additional clearance during the MCC period. The status of each project will therefore depend on the stage it has reached rather than simply on the imposition of the election code.

PCMC projects also face delays

In Pimpri-Chinchwad, several planned civic activities are also expected to be affected by the election restrictions. The projects include bringing 100 MLD of water from the Andra Dam through a closed pipeline, construction of a cancer hospital in Thergaon, the Pavana closed pipeline project and land acquisition linked to the Indrayani River Rejuvenation Project.

The administration had been preparing to take forward the Andra Dam project. The city has a reserved allocation of 100 MLD from the dam. Tendering for a jackwell at the dam site and the closed pipeline to the Chikhali water treatment plant was at an advanced stage.

The MCC could affect the next steps if fresh approvals or financial decisions are required. A similar issue has arisen with the proposed cancer hospital in Thergaon. The PCMC administration had planned to hold a foundation-laying or groundbreaking programme. The event is now likely to be postponed if it falls within the restrictions of the election code.

Indrayani project has work order, Pavana meeting affected

The Indrayani River Rejuvenation Project is at a more advanced stage. A work order has already been issued to the contractor and a foundation-laying ceremony was being planned. The impact of the MCC will therefore need to be assessed separately from projects that have not yet received work orders.

The long-pending Pavana closed pipeline project is another major issue. A meeting had earlier been held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the project. The District Collector subsequently sought feedback from farmers affected by the proposed project. The administration was preparing for another meeting with the Chief Minister. The election code has now created uncertainty over the timing of that meeting and any fresh decisions that may emerge from it.

The MCC has also led to changes involving elected office-bearers. Official municipal vehicles assigned to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and chairpersons of various committees have been recalled following the enforcement of the code. The vehicles assigned to the Women and Child Welfare Committee, Law Committee, Education Committee and other office-bearers are among those affected.

The civic administration has also directed that political boards and party symbols outside official chambers be covered. Office-bearers who use private vehicles have been asked to cover designation plates on those vehicles, as part of the MCC compliance measures.

The election restrictions will remain a key factor for civic decision-making until the Maharashtra Legislative Council election process is completed. With polling scheduled for October 23 and counting on October 27, the administration will have to assess new proposals and financial decisions on a case-by-case basis rather than treating all development works as suspended.