Pune: PMC Clears ₹23.11 Crore For PMPML, ₹9.63 Crore For School Upgrades

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has cleared a series of proposals involving public transport, education, IT infrastructure and Metro expansion, including ₹23.11 crore towards reimbursement to the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) for free and concessional bus passes, ₹9.63 crore for electrical upgrades in civic schools and ₹69.56 lakh for modernising its Beneficiary Management System. The civic body has also approved the transfer of 665 square metres of land to MahaMetro for the proposed Padmavati Metro station, subject to final approval by the General Body.

The decisions were taken during committee proceedings on Thursday. While the school infrastructure and IT proposals were cleared by the Standing Committee, the land transfer was approved by the City Improvement Committee and recommended to the General Body. The bus pass reimbursement proposal was also approved by the Standing Committee, although a shortfall of ₹11.77 crore remains in the budgetary provision.

The PMC has approved ₹23.11 crore towards reimbursement to PMPML for free and concessional bus passes issued to students, senior citizens, journalists and civic employees during the financial year 2025-26. PMPML had initially sought ₹36.18 crore for reimbursement of concessions extended under various civic welfare schemes. Following scrutiny of the bills by the concerned PMC departments, reimbursement of ₹34.87 crore was recommended.

The amount covers annual, half-yearly, quarterly and 50 per cent concessional student passes, free passes for freedom fighters, senior citizens, specially meritorious individuals and PMC employees. The Information and Public Relations Department also recommended ₹71,300 towards free passes issued to newspaper reporters.

However, the civic departments did not recommend PMPML's demand of ₹1.27 crore towards 22-day passenger punching passes, resulting in a difference between the transport undertaking's claim and the verified amount.

The PMC's 2026-27 budget has allocated only ₹23.11 crore for bus pass reimbursement. Consequently, an additional ₹11.77 crore will be required to clear the remaining recommended dues. The proposal was placed before the committee by Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram. The civic body will release the approved amount from the available budgetary provision after obtaining General Body approval, Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale said.

In another decision, the Standing Committee approved ₹9.63 crore for electrical infrastructure upgrades in the PMC's Vidyavardhini Adarsh schools across all five administrative zones. The work will facilitate the installation and operation of smart boards, computer laboratories, pink rooms for girl students, drinking water facilities and audio-visual equipment.

The project will also include new electrical wiring, LED lights, fans, switches and safety-related installations in classrooms. The combined cost of the five contracts, including GST, is ₹9,63,50,864.

Zone-wise contracts have been awarded to Moreswar Electrical Corporation (₹1.67 crore), V Cube Engineering (₹2.41 crore), Sarthak Electromec (₹2.63 crore), Yash Electroline (₹1.78 crore) and Bondre and Associates (₹1.13 crore).

The Standing Committee also approved ₹69.56 lakh, including GST, for upgrading and maintaining the PMC's Beneficiary Management System for three years. The existing system is used to transfer financial assistance under welfare schemes run by the civic body's employee welfare, hostel, education and social development departments directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts. However, the administration has cited limitations arising from outdated technology.

Following a fresh tender process, Monarch Technologies emerged as the lowest bidder at ₹58.95 lakh, against ₹63 lakh quoted by Stark Digital Media Services. The total expenditure, including GST, will be ₹69,56,100.

Separately, the City Improvement Committee approved the transfer of 665 square metres of PMC land in Dhankawadi to MahaMetro for constructing the Padmavati station on the underground Swargate-Katraj corridor. The land, reserved for a truck terminus under Survey No. 19 A/4 A and B, has been valued at ₹1.15 crore. Twice its assessed value, amounting to ₹2,31,55,200, will be adjusted against MahaMetro's financial liability to the civic body.

The proposal also includes the rehabilitation of two existing leaseholders through alternative plots measuring 225 and 220 square metres in Kondhwa Budruk. However, the lease of a third plot is proposed to be cancelled following violations of the agreement conditions. The land transfer proposal has been recommended to the General Body for final approval.

The development comes as PMPML had also sought an advance of ₹33 crore from the PMC to distribute Diwali ex-gratia payments and bonuses to its employees.