PMPML buses will increase by 2,500 over the next year as Pune prepares for a major public transport expansion backed by civic and regional funding. The Pune Municipal Corporation has directed officials to upgrade depots before the additional vehicles arrive, after concerns were raised about inadequate repair space and buses being parked on roads at night.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram shared the expansion plan at a meeting held at the PMC. PMPML Chairman and Managing Director Mahesh Awhad and other civic officials attended the meeting, where depot preparedness and the requirements for accommodating the larger fleet were discussed.
Of the planned additions, 1,000 buses are expected to join the fleet by the end of March 2027. A further 1,500 buses are planned for April 2027, according to information shared by the civic administration. Between 20% and 25% of the new buses are expected to be electric, while the remaining vehicles will operate on compressed natural gas.
PMPML currently operates around 1,900 buses and carries approximately 11 lakh to 12 lakh passengers every day in Pune and surrounding areas. The planned expansion would significantly increase the size of the undertaking’s fleet, which has been under pressure to meet growing demand for public transport.
The depot upgrades are intended to address operational and safety constraints that could limit the usefulness of the new buses. Several existing depots reportedly do not have adequate space for repairs, while buses are often parked on roads overnight. The civic administration has directed officials to ensure that depots have sufficient electricity supply, asphalted internal roads and boundary walls.
The funding structure for the expansion includes a proposed procurement of 1,000 CNG buses through a combined allocation of ₹750 crore. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority is expected to contribute ₹500 crore, while the PMC will provide ₹150 crore and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation will contribute ₹100 crore.
A separate set of 1,000 CNG buses is expected to be provided to PMPML under the Central government’s PM E-Drive scheme, according to the information shared by the civic administration. The remaining buses in the 2,500-vehicle expansion will include the planned electric fleet and other vehicles required to meet the undertaking’s capacity targets.
The commissioner has directed officials to take the necessary steps to complete the depot improvements before the new buses are inducted. The immediate implementation milestones are the arrival of the first 1,000 buses by March 2027 and the planned addition of another 1,500 buses in April 2027.
