PMPML plans to add 2,500 buses to its fleet over the next year as Pune’s public transport system prepares for higher demand, but the expansion will require urgent upgrades to depots where limited repair space and roadside parking are already creating safety concerns.
Of the proposed additions, 1,000 buses are expected to join the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited fleet by the end of March 2027. The remaining 1,500 buses are planned for April 2027, according to information shared by Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.
Around 20% to 25% of the new buses will be electric, while the remainder will run on compressed natural gas (CNG). PMPML currently operates around 1,900 buses and carries approximately 11 lakh to 12 lakh passengers daily across Pune and surrounding areas.
The proposed expansion has exposed capacity constraints at several existing depots. Some facilities do not have adequate space for bus repairs, while buses are often parked on roads at night. The civic administration has identified the roadside parking as a safety concern and said depot infrastructure must be improved before the additional vehicles are inducted.
A meeting on the depot upgrades was held at the Pune Municipal Corporation and was attended by Ram, PMPML Chairman and Managing Director Mahesh Awhad, and other civic officials. Ram directed officials to ensure that depots have adequate electricity supply, asphalted internal roads and boundary walls.
The depot requirements are significant because fleet expansion involves more than procuring vehicles. Bus yards must provide space for parking, inspection, repairs, charging or fuel-related operations, staff movement and safe entry and exit. Without these facilities, additional buses could increase congestion around depots and place greater pressure on existing maintenance arrangements.
The planned procurement includes 1,000 CNG buses through a combined funding arrangement of ₹750 crore. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority is expected to contribute ₹500 crore, while the Pune Municipal Corporation will provide ₹150 crore and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation ₹100 crore.
Another 1,000 CNG buses are expected to be provided to PMPML under the Central government’s PM E-Drive scheme, according to information shared by the civic administration. The remaining buses in the proposed expansion are expected to include the planned electric fleet, although the supplied information does not specify the precise number of electric buses or the procurement schedule for each vehicle category.
PMPML’s expansion is intended to address growing demand for public transport across the Pune metropolitan area. The undertaking’s current fleet serves up to 12 lakh passengers each day, making depot readiness an operational requirement rather than a parallel civic works issue. The PMC has directed officials to take steps to upgrade the facilities before the buses begin arriving, with the first major delivery milestone set for the end of March 2027.
