As air pollution, traffic deaths and travel times climb, Pune’s dream of a sustainable transport future is faltering. With vehicle registrations nearly matching its population, the city is fast becoming a cautionary tale of urban planning gone awry.
Harish Kulkarni, a 38-year-old IT professional from Pune, spends over three hours a day commuting to and from work by car. His office is 20 kilometres away, yet the journey now takes him around 90 minutes each way.
“It used to take 40 minutes before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Kulkarni recalled. “But traffic congestion, coupled with poor infrastructure and ongoing metro construction, has turned it into a punishing drive. I have been doing the same journey for the past 10 years, but the infrastructure development has not kept pace with the increase in vehicle numbers.”
The daily grind has taken a financial toll. “My maintenance costs have increased by 30 per cent and I now refill my 35-litre tank every 15 days instead of monthly,” he said. Kulkarni eventually switched to an electric vehicle (EV), which saves him nearly Rs 10,000 a month in fuel and servicing costs. But it’s not a complete solution. “I’ve saved on fuel, but not on time. And not everyone can afford an EV.”
He is not alone. Hinjewadi, a major IT hub in Pune, is home to an estimated half a million IT professionals, many of whom endure similarly long and costly commutes.
Traffic snarls are now routine not just in Hinjewadi, where Kulkarni works, but also across the city — including in Kharadi, on the opposite end of the urban sprawl.
Pune metropolitan region — including Pimpri-Chinchwad — is projected to house around 7.5 million people in 2025, according to .
The number of registered vehicles has crossed 6.5 million, based on data from the two Regional Transport Offices. Pune has the highest number of registered vehicles in the state, followed by Pimpri-Chinchwad. With nearly one vehicle per person, traffic congestion is significantly affecting the quality of travel for residents.