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From Innova Hycross to Verna, PMC to spend Rs 6.8 crore to purchase SUVs, Sedans for new office-bearers

The Pune civic body has decided to purchase 28 vehicles for the elected representatives who would be holding various chairs in the civic body.

4 min readPuneFeb 10, 2026 10:42 PM IST

There are a total 1,259 vehicles owned by PMC but there are only 127 vehicles in the cars and jeep category.

With Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s newly elected body and office-bearers comes new cars for official purpose, including premium SUVs, for the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor along with the chairpersons of various committees who are yet to be elected. The Pune civic body has decided to purchase 28 vehicles for the elected representatives who would be holding various chairs in the civic body.

In a proposal approved by the civic standing committee, the municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has decided to purchase two vehicles each for the Mayor and Standing Committee chairperson, one vehicle each for Deputy Mayor, Leader of Opposition, Leader of House, Chairpersons of various committees including Legal, Women and Child Welfare, Sports, City Improvement and Biodiversity. Also, 15 vehicles, one each for 15 ward committees.

There are a total 1,259 vehicles owned by PMC but there are only 127 vehicles in the cars and jeep category. Of the 127, there are 44 jeeps and 83 cars which include 27 Ambassador cars. “There is a need for 230 vehicles for everyday use in PMC. The civic elections have recently taken place and it is necessary to provide official vehicles to the new office-bearers for which 28 cars are must but they are not available with the civic body at present. Thus, the new vehicles have to be purchased,” the civic chief said.

He said the Mayor has to provide premium SUVs and Sedans for all the office-bearers including mayor and chairperson of various civic committees.

There is a cost limit set by the state government for the purchase of vehicles for civic office-bearers and officers. Accordingly, the Mayor will purchase an Innova Hycross Hybrid for Rs 28.90 lakh and a Verna for Rs 15.92 lakh. The chairperson of the Standing Committee will be provided with Rs 17.72 lakh Victoris model SUV and Rs 15.92 lakh Verna car.

For the Deputy Mayor and Leader of House, Rs 15.92 lakh worth Verna car each will be purchased while the Leader of Opposition will have a Rs 17.72 lakh Victoris. The PMC would also purchase Grand Vitara at a cost of Rs 16.56 lakh each for the chairpersons of Legal, Women and Child Welfare, Sports, Biodiversity, Name and the 15 ward committees. The chairperson of City Improvement Committee will be given Rs 17.72 lakh worth Victoris. The proposal stated that Innova Hycross is being purchased as it is from the premium SUV category and all other vehicles, Grand Vitara, Verana and Victoris, are in Sedan category.

“The total expenditure for purchasing the vehicles is Rs 6.8 crore but the budgetary provision is only Rs 1.5 crore in the financial year which means additional Rs 5.3 crore need to made available,” he said, adding the PMC was to spend Rs 8 crore for purchase of Hazmat vehicle for the fire department but would be able to spend only Rs 2.7 crore so the remaining funds can be used to purchase the cars for office bearers and one municipal commissioner as well as three additional municipal commissioners.

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Within the state government rules, the PMC has decided to purchase a premium SUV – Seven Seater Innova Hycross one for Mayor, Municipal Commissioner and three additional Municipal Commissioners.

The municipal commissioner said it is recommended to purchase vehicles of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd and Hyundai Motors India Ltd as its models are of good standards and have good after sale services.

The civic body has purchased vehicles manufactured by Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd and their after service is satisfactory so the vehicles can be bought from them as well.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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