Pune: Utility agencies will not be allowed to dig up roads on routes designated for the Pune Grand Tour cycling race after Sept-end.District collector Jitendra Dudi has urged Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to ensure all underground utility work is completed before the deadline. He told TOI on Saturday that he had reached out to both civic bodies to ensure there was no road digging on the Pune Grand Tour stretches after this month. “Both the corporations have issued the notices to complete the work within the timeline,” he said.PMC additional commissioner (special) Om Prakash Divate said utility and other road-related works are expected to begin around Sept 10 and must be completed by the end of the month. “We should complete the road resurfacing, footpath correction, signages, street furniture work and utility work involving digging for Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL), MSEDCL and other agencies as soon as possible. We have said that if they do not abide by the deadline, they will be levied heavy charges,” Divate told TOI.Utility providers, including MNGL, will have to secure the necessary permissions and complete underground works before the deadline.The directive follows reports that several roads improved for the inaugural Pune Grand Tour in 2026 were dug up soon after the race, with some stretches later repaired with poor-quality patches. “The goal is to ensure that the high-quality roads constructed for this event remain durable and serve the public long after the cyclists have passed,” he said.The road improvement programme is linked to the tour’s planned expansion in 2027, with the route growing from 437km to 1,099km, requiring the strengthening and development of 662km of new road sections across the district.“The roads are not being built just for a cycling race. Rather, the tour is the ‘trigger’ to deliver world-class, durable roads within a strict time frame. This will benefit residents and boost regional tourism,” Dudi said.The expanded route’s road works could cost nearly Rs 900 crore, according to estimates presented to district authorities. The public works department (PWD) is expected to allocate Rs 362 crore, PMRDA Rs 240 crore, and the District Planning Committee (DPC) another Rs 35 crore, taking committed funds past Rs 500 crore. PMC will handle improvements on around 85km, PCMC on roughly 35km.The proposed Pune Grand Tour 2027 will feature six stages covering 1,099km across 331 villages in 11 talukas, compared with four stages covering 437km across 148 villages and eight talukas in 2026. The expanded route will cover Junnar, Bhimashankar, Shivneri, Dehu-Alandi and the Pavana backwaters, besides areas linked to the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh circuit. The event is scheduled from Jan 26 to 31, 2027.
