05 August,2026 10:21 AM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
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The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated the process of reviving the long-pending High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) project by inviting bids to appoint consultants for technical studies, land acquisition and statutory clearances.
The move comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed officials to expedite the transport project, which has remained pending for more than a decade due to challenges related to land acquisition, environmental clearances and changes in the city's transport planning.
The civic body has floated separate tenders for the appointment of a principal consultant to undertake pre-construction technical work and another consultant to oversee land acquisition, surveys and compliance with statutory requirements.
PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the civic administration aims to complete the preparatory work within the next few months so that construction tenders can be issued by October.
"We have initiated the consultant appointment process and have secured an initial funding commitment of Rs 3,000 crore for the project," he said.
The HCMTR was originally planned as a 35.96-kilometre elevated ring corridor under Pune's Development Plan. Following revisions approved by the Maharashtra government in 2024, the project has been expanded to approximately 43 kilometres.
The revised alignment includes the Vishrantwadi-Bopodi stretch, creating a continuous ring corridor around the city and addressing connectivity gaps identified in the earlier proposal.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur said the updated alignment broadly follows the route approved by the state government while improving connectivity between key areas.
According to her, the appointed consultants will be responsible for updating technical studies, completing statutory procedures and preparing the project for execution.
Chief Superintendent Engineer Dinkar Gojare said the corridor alignment has been modified at 12 locations to reduce the requirement for land acquisition and improve the overall feasibility of the project.
He added that the technical studies prepared more than a decade ago are no longer adequate because of rapid urban development and the expansion of Pune's transport infrastructure.
Officials said updated environmental assessments, revised land records and fresh technical plans will be required, particularly at locations where the proposed corridor intersects with Metro lines and major roads.
According to Gojare, drone-based land surveys are already underway, while the updated technical review is expected to be completed within three months.
He said nearly 51 per cent of the land required under the original alignment is already available. The Maharashtra government has also agreed in principle to transfer the required government land either free of cost or at nominal rates, which is expected to reduce acquisition-related delays.
The proposed HCMTR consists of a six-lane, 24-metre-wide elevated corridor with a central Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). The project is intended to facilitate uninterrupted movement of buses and emergency vehicles at speeds of up to 50 kmph while reducing traffic congestion on several major roads across Pune.
The corridor is expected to connect several key parts of the city, including Bopodi, Aundh, Shivajinagar, Kothrud, Erandawane, Wanowrie, Hadapsar, Mundhwa and Vishrantwadi.
(With inputs from PTI)
