Civic body passes resolution not to fund PMPML bus purchase

The tug-of-war between the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) over the purchase of buses seems to have intensified. On Monday, the civic standing panel passed a resolution against handing over the remaining amount for the buses to the civic transport body, if it goes ahead with the purchase of buses with doors on either side.

Last week, the civic body gave Rs 40 crore to the PMPML for the purpose, while the remaining amount of Rs 50 crore is yet to be paid.

During the standing committee meeting on Monday, corporators Ujjwal Keskar and Rajendra Vagaskar opposed PMPML’s decision of purchasing buses with doors on either side and demanded that no further amount be given to the PMPML. The standing committee members supported the decision and passed the resolution.

Without naming Band, Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagade said, “It would not be advisable to purchase buses with doors on both the sides just because one person wants it.” He further said, “The PMPML has neither the will to form the BRTS cell, nor the capacity to do so. I have been following the matter for last four months, but nothing has happened so far. If they don’t form the cell, the PMC will have to do so on its own.” Band refused to comment on the issue. “I will do whatever is appropriate,” he said.

The controversy over the purchase of buses came up when Divisional Commissioner Dilip Band, also the CMD of PMPML, first announced the purchase of buses with doors on both the sides. However, the decision was opposed by standing committee chairman Arvind Shinde. 

Later, it became a political issue with BJP corporators calling an indefinite hunger strike in protest. The PMC standing committee agreed to transfer funds to PMPML only after a commitment on sticking to the detailed project report.