By Tasneem Bandukwala
The transport facilities in Pune are going to see major developments in the coming year, particularly in airport facilities, an airport project, and city buses.
Renovations at the old terminal building at Pune International Airport in Lohegaon are ongoing. As per the airport’s Director, Santosh Dhoke, 60% renovation of the arrival area has been done. This is expected to be finished in March 2026. After completion of renovation or rather after completing formalities, the airport terminal will be opened for operations again.
The upgraded terminal will bring about an addition of 14 coupes for check-in as well as two more boarding coupes, increasing the total number of check-in coupes from 34 to 48. Currently, there are 10 coupes for boarding. However, the two new coupes for boarding are yet to become operational. According to Dhoke, such new facilities will enable them to manage peak volumes of passengers.
Plans for the new airport in Purandar have received a boost, with nearly all of the farmers agreeing to the land acquisition. According to Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, with the survey done and key issues resolved, hopefully, the commencement of construction will take place in the second quarter of 2026, after completing the land acquisition process. The land is suitable, with less earthwork required, and hence, hopefully, the airport can be constructed in three to three-and-a-half years.
There is expected to be a vast improvement in all modes of public transport, as there is a plan by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) to enhance its fleet of buses by a huge margin. Currently, there are around 2,000 buses, which would be increased to about 3,500 by April-May 2026 by adding 1,500 new buses to its existing fleet, which would include CNG buses procured from companies such as Leyland and Tata.