Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s transport wing has once again unveiled an ambitious but financially fragile roadmap, with the transport committee presenting a Rs575.58 crore budget for 2026-27 that leans heavily on expenditure while offering little clarity on fresh revenue streams.Transport committee chairperson Mangala Khekre submitted the proposal to standing committee chairperson Shivani Dani Wakhare on Monday, revising upward the Rs524.58 crore draft earlier prepared by the administration. However, despite the Rs51 crore jump in outlay, the income projections remain stagnant at Rs190 crore, exposing a widening structural imbalance.The numbers underline a stark reality: while operational and capital expenditure is projected to touch nearly Rs575 crore, the dept expects to recover barely half that amount through its own earnings. The resulting Rs200 crore deficit is set to be bridged through increased dependence on NMC subsidies, with the committee now seeking Rs200 crore in support, Rs50 crore more than the administration’s earlier estimate.What raises further concern is the absence of any new revenue avenues in the budget. Several income generation ideas, including commercial exploitation of depot land and kiosk redevelopment, have been carried forward from previous budgets but remain largely unimplemented. Proposals to develop commercial complexes at key depots such as Mor Bhavan, Patwardhan ground, Lakadganj, Hingna, Wadi and Khapri have resurfaced, with Rs40 crore earmarked, despite facing execution hurdles for years.Similarly, plans to convert bus stop kiosks into small commercial hubs offering coffee outlets, utility services and photocopy centres have been reiterated as a means to boost non-fare revenue, but without a clear execution timeline.Even as revenue concerns persist, the budget pushes aggressively for expansion and modernisation. The current fleet of 580 buses is set to grow significantly with the induction of electric buses under multiple schemes, including 250 AC e-buses backed by state funding, 150 buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme and 144 midi buses under the 15th Finance Commission. The proposal also includes 25 high-capacity articulated buses based on a flash-charging model.Infrastructure upgrades form another major component, with Rs40 crore allocated for depot road and premises development and Rs10 crore for land acquisition and expansion works. The department has also proposed CCTV surveillance at all bus stops, rationalisation of fare structures and the introduction of new routes.Despite the push for cleaner mobility and capacity expansion, the financial blueprint lays bare a persistent concern: Nagpur’s public bus service continues to run on civic backing rather than sustainable revenue.Officials, however, maintain that efforts will be made to augment income beyond ticketing. Whether those efforts translate into execution remains the key question.INFOBOX NMC Transport Budget 2026-27Total Budget Outlay: Rs575.58 croreProjected Revenue: Rs190 croreEstimated Expenditure: Rs574.89 croreRevenue-Expenditure Gap: -Rs200 croreNMC Subsidy Sought: Rs200 crore (Rs50 crore higher than earlier proposal)Closing Balance: -Rs63-68 lakhFleet & ExpansionCurrent Fleet: 580 busesNew Additions Planned250 AC e-buses (state-funded)150 buses under PM e-Bus Sewa144 midi e-buses (15th Finance Commission)25 articulated (high-capacity) buses proposedKey SpendingDepot roads & infrastructure development: Rs40 croreLand acquisition & depot expansion: Rs10 croreCCTV cameras at all bus stopsNew bus routes to be introducedFare rationalisation plannedRevenue Plans (Repeated Proposals)Commercial complexes at Mor Bhavan, Patwardhan ground, Lakadganj, Hingna, Wadi & Khapri depotsConversion of bus stop kiosks into rental commercial unitsAdvertisement revenue from depots & buses
