The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) has raised serious allegations of irregularities and possible corruption in the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) cable duct project and questioned whether the evidence related to overhead cables is being deliberately destroyed.
Addressing a press conference, party state general secretary and spokesperson Sunil Mane claimed that a 2021 directive requiring the installation of two additional cable ducts for PMC during road excavation work was not implemented by the contractor, Dinesh Engineers. He claimed that the failure to install these ducts has resulted in a potential financial loss of nearly Rs 26,000 crore to citizens.
Mane further claimed the collusion between PMC officials, the contractor, and MahaPreet stating that despite repeated attempts under the Right to Information (RTI) Act since December 2025, relevant documents and records have not been provided. He claimed that the departments have been passing responsibilities among themselves, leading to delays and lack of transparency.
According to Mane there is no clear record which confirms whether the additional ducts were ever installed, inspected, or officially handed over to PMC. He also questioned how these ducts were later hired back to the same contractor without proper documentation including tenders or agreements.
He reported that the absence of photographic evidence, joint inspection reports, or technical verification raises serious doubts about the execution of the project. Mane further said that the PMC issued tenders and initiated lease agreements for ducts that may not have existed on the ground.
The NCP leader also linked the issue to the ongoing action against overhead cables in the city, questioning whether such drives are being used to eliminate potential evidence. He alleged that cable companies may be pressured into agreements with the contractor under the excuse of implementing action.
Additionally Mane claimed that due to a triple agreement involving PMC, MahaPreet, and the contractor, several cable operators may have avoided paying penalties and charges amounting to around ₹1,800 crore.
He also stated that information sought from MahaPreet regarding the project has not yet shared. Many departments may be involved together, and this could cause huge financial losses to the civic body.
Demanding accountability, he said the matter would be followed legally if necessary adding that all documents may eventually have to be disclosed in court.
The PMC has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.