Special PMC general body meeting to take call on paying ₹474 crore towards PMPML’s losses for FY 2025-26 | Pune News

Pune: Elected members of the PMC will on Monday take a decision about spending Rs474.01 crore from the civic coffers to deal with the running losses of public transport utility PMPML, which has long been a recurrent issue. A special general body meeting of the civic body has been organised to discuss these losses and the PMC’s role in running the bus services.For a while now, citizen activists have claimed that corporators need to make Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) more responsible and liable for its issues. They have called for a systemic overhaul of the public transport body, adding that Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) must play a more active role in reforms, rather than just repeatedly paying for losses using taxpayers’ money.On Monday, the general body will review the proposal to disburse PMC’s 60% ownership share of the operational deficit incurred by PMPML for the financial year 2025-26, as provided for under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act of 1949.As per official data, the total estimated operational losses of PMPML for 2025-26 stand at Rs808.26 crore, which makes PMC’s 60% share equal to Rs484.96 crore. Out of this total liability, an advance of Rs10 crore has already been given to the PMPML as an exceptional case during FY 2025-26 to clear pending dues to the MNGL company, and keep bus operations running smoothly in light of the election schedule during this period.Additionally, a sum of Rs94,99,700 owed by PMPML to the PMC assessment and tax collection department as property tax arrears for its properties at Swargate and Market Yard is being adjusted directly from the deficit amount. Following these adjustments, the remaining operational deficit to be paid by PMC is Rs474.01 crore.But many city residents believe the issue now needs to be resolved at the systemic level first. Sanjay Shitole of Pune City Connect, a citizens’ group, said, “The losses of the public transport utility are going up by the day. Problems like mismanagement and corruption are the root cause. The civic administration should seek a commitment from PMPML to improve its services before giving more funds endlessly.”Similarly, Sinhagad Road resident Ketki Paranjape said that the authorities need to make sure that people get good-quality public transport services first. “Citizens can shift from personal to public transport if good bus services are provided. A reliable and 24×7 public transport service is a vital requirement for a city like Pune, which is expanding rapidly,” she said.When TOI spoke to a senior PMC official, he chose to remain unnamed and only said, “PMC gave a commitment to PMPML around two decades ago to bear a share of the losses it faces. This amount is paid annually. The civic administration will make the payment in instalments.”As per this plan, the remaining net amount of Rs474.01 crore is recommended to be paid by PMC to PMPML in 12 equal monthly instalments of Rs39.5 crore per month from April 2026 to March 2027.