Pune: District collector Jitendra Dudi has set Oct 10 this year as the final deadline for all underground utility work on roads designated for the next instalment of the Pune Grand Tour cycling race in Jan 2027, warning that agencies continuing to dig beyond this month’s decided date will face FIRs.Dudi has urged Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to ensure all utility work — including that by Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL), Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and other agencies — is completed well before the cutoff date.“A clear time frame has been given to all utility agencies to finish their work. If digging continues beyond Oct 10, FIRs will be registered against the agencies concerned by the respective authorities,” Dudi told TOI on Thursday.Both civic bodies have already issued notices to utility providers, directing them to complete pending work within the stipulated timeline. Officials from the civic bodies said road resurfacing, footpath correction, signage, street furniture work and utility-related digging must be wrapped up on schedule, failing which heavy charges would be levied on defaulting agencies besides the FIR.The crackdown follows reports that several roads upgraded for the inaugural Pune Grand Tour in 2026 were dug up again soon after the race, with some stretches later patched with poor-quality repairs, undermining durability of roads built specifically for the event.“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,” Dudi said.The road improvement drive is linked to the tour’s planned expansion in 2027, when the route will grow from 437km to 1,099km, requiring strengthening and development of 662km of new road sections across the district. The expanded edition will feature six stages across 331 villages in 11 talukas — up from four stages across 148 villages in eight talukas this year — covering areas including Junnar, Bhimashankar, Shivneri, Dehu-Alandi and the Pavana backwaters, besides stretches linked to the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh circuit. The event is scheduled from Jan 26 to 31, 2027.“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 Rs900 crore, with the public works department expected to allocate Rs362 crore, Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) Rs240 crore, and the district planning committee another Rs35 crore, taking committed funds past Rs500 crore. PMC will handle improvements on around 85km, while PCMC will cover roughly 35km.
