A renovated old terminal at the currently functional Pune International Airport in Lohegaon, commencement of the construction of the new Pune airport in Purandar in the second quarter after land acquisition, and an increase of 1,500 buses in the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited’s (PMPML) fleet are the developments that the city can look forward to in the transportation sector next year.
Renovated old terminal building by May
The Pune International Airport in Lohegaon shifted all operations to the new terminal building in March 2025, and the old terminal building was put under renovation. Director of Pune airport Santosh Dhoke said almost 60 per cent of renovation work at the arrival area of the old airport terminal has been completed, and that the remaining work is scheduled to be completed by the March of next year. “We are hoping to complete the works by March 31. After that, regulatory bodies will approve the airport, and it will be put into operation,” said Dhoke.
The renovated old terminal building will have 14 additional check-in counters, a security hold area with three x-ray machines, and two additional boarding gates. The new terminal currently has 34 check-in counters, and the renovated terminal will take the total up to 48. Currently, 10 boarding gates are operational at the airport and two more will be added with the opening of the old terminal.
“Even though 34 counters are sufficient, the additional counters will be helpful when there is a sudden surge of passengers. There will be no unnecessary crowding. The two boarding gates will be remote-based with bus boarding. The regulatory approval takes hardly 1-1.5 months. It might happen before that as well. We will try our best to make the terminal operational by April-end,” said Dhoke.
Purandar airport construction to begin in Q2: Collector
The long-stalled airport at Purandar, facing stiff opposition from farmers for the past 10 years, has finally picked up pace. The district administration has announced that it has received consent from 96 per cent of the farmers for land acquisition, and the land survey has also been completed without any violence or police presence.
Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi told The Indian Express, “Next year, we can expect completion of land acquisition within the first quarter. And by the second quarter, we can expect the start of the actual construction. Most of the conditions of the farmers have been met; now, just the question of the amount per acre is being discussed.”
He added that the topographical features of the land do not pose much of a hurdle for construction. “We don’t have to cut any mountain. We don’t have to do any deviation of any river stream. And the strata are very solid. So, excavation and other things will happen very fast. We might be able to deliver the airport in three to 3.5 years once we start the work.”
PMPML to increase bus fleet from 2,000 to 3,500
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The PMPML will increase its bus fleet from 2,000 to 3,500 by April-May, said Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) Pankaj Deore. The bus agency serving Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad has been struggling with a fleet of only around 2,000 buses for at least five years.
“The PM-E drive phase-wise delivery will begin in April-May. The final declaration is not done yet, as it involves multiple cities. But we can expect 200-300 buses in April-May. We have given a work order of 1,000 CNG buses to Leyland and Tata. These are 800 buses of 12 metres and 200 9-metre long buses. We are expecting the get the handover by April-May. Additionally, 500 buses that are waiting will also be inducted,” said Deore.
With around 500 buses expected to be scrapped, the fleet will increase from 2,000 to 3,500 by April-May. Cities like Mumbai have seen delays due to manufacturers such as Olectra Greentech defaulting; however, Deore assured that no problems with bus deliveries were anticipated in Pune.
Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting.
Professional Background
Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune.
Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics.
Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories:
1. Investigations & Governance
"Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents.
"44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families.
2. Education & Campus Life
Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
"Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial.
"Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers.
3. Human Rights & Social Issues
"Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India.
"'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying.
Signature Style
Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty.
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