The Pune Municipal Corporation has halted new development works and tender-related activity during the model code of conduct for the teachers’ and graduates’ constituency elections, delaying 265 road projects and several major infrastructure proposals, including the internal ring road and the Shivane–Nanded City bridge.
The election code of conduct came into force on 22 September and is scheduled to remain in effect until 27 October. According to a report by Loksatta – Pune, PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has issued a circular directing all department heads not to initiate new development works during this period. Only essential maintenance and repair works may be undertaken, and these require prior permission from an additional municipal commissioner.
The circular also bars departments from granting administrative or technical approval to new works, publishing fresh tenders or taking the next steps in ongoing tender procedures. The restrictions have affected projects that were being prepared or processed by the civic body before the election code took effect.
The decision marks a change from the commissioner’s earlier stated position that development works would not be affected during the election period. The civic administration had indicated that it would seek permission from the Election Commission wherever required so that projects could continue. The subsequent circular, however, instructs departments to avoid taking up new works and to focus only on essential civic services.
The roads department has been most directly affected. It has 498 proposed works, of which 265 had reached the tendering stage, according to the report. Proposals for new works had also been sent to the accounts department, but these were not accepted after the commissioner’s order was issued. As a result, the tendering process for the affected works is expected to be delayed by about a month.
The projects reported to be held up include the internal ring road, the Shivane–Nanded City bridge, a pedestrian subway planned near the Katraj zoo, proposed parking facilities at several locations and other works under the roads department. These projects cover different parts of Pune’s transport and public-space network, but the immediate administrative issue is the inability to move them through approval and procurement stages during the election period.
At present, the PMC is carrying out only necessary maintenance and repair work, according to information from officials in the roads department cited by Loksatta. The restriction applies to new approvals and tenders, while essential services are expected to continue with the additional permission required under the circular.
The model code of conduct is due to remain in force until 27 October. Further tendering and approval activity for the delayed works will depend on the end of the election restrictions and subsequent directions from the municipal administration.