Pune: Despite Pune’s overwhelming support for the ruling coalition in the recent assembly elections, the state government’s budget allocation for the city has been minimal. With the exception of a flyover between Pune and Shirur, no significant funding has been announced for other major projects. The absence of provisions for the Purandar airport, despite substantial allocations for airports in other regions, has particularly raised concerns.
Budget Fails to Meet Expectations Despite Strong Political Backing
In the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, the Mahayuti alliance secured 19 out of 21 seats in Pune district. Additionally, the city and district are represented by four ministers in the state cabinet. Given this strong political presence, expectations were high for a substantial budget allocation to support Pune’s infrastructure and development projects.
The district has several large-scale proposed projects, including:
Purandar Airport
Pune-Nashik Green Corridor
Mumbai-Pune-Bengaluru High-Speed Rail
Pune Ring Road
Collectively valued at over ₹1 lakh crore, these projects were anticipated to receive significant financial backing.
Key Allocations and Omissions in the Budget
The state budget has provided for only a few projects in Pune, including:
₹7,515 crore for a 54-km two-tier flyover between Pune and Shirur to address traffic congestion on Nagar Road.
₹6,499 crore for a 25-km, four-lane flyover between Talegaon and Chakan.
₹50 crore for Phase 2 of the Shivsrushti Project in Ambegaon.
₹143 crore for the expansion of metro projects in Pune, Nagpur, and Mumbai.
Beyond these, the budget makes a brief mention of funds for two new metro corridors, a memorial for Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Tulapur, and a monument for Adyakrantiguru Lahuji Vastad Salve in Pune.
Purandar Airport Project Overlooked Once Again
One of the most glaring omissions in the budget is the lack of funding for the long-awaited Purandar Airport. Despite repeated assurances from state ministers regarding its progress, the project has once again been left without financial backing. In contrast, significant allocations have been made for airports in Shirdi, Nagpur, Navi Mumbai, Amravati, Ratnagiri, Gadchiroli, and Akola.
Additionally, other critical infrastructure projects such as the Pune-Nashik Green Corridor, the four-laning of the Pune-Lonavala railway route, and the Pune-Nashik railway highway have not received any funds for land acquisition. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had also sought ₹1,000 crore for road widening and land acquisition under its development plan, but this request has not been addressed in the budget.
Madhuri Misal, Minister of State for Urban Development and Transport, highlighted the government’s priorities: "This budget is a step towards achieving a developed Maharashtra. Significant funds have been allocated for Pune’s metro expansion, green energy projects, and sewage treatment, alongside agricultural and rural development initiatives. Our cultural heritage has also been given strong financial support."