AAP Pune Alleges Corruption In PMPML’s VLTD Purchase, Demands Scrapping Of Inflated Contracts
AAP Pune Alleges Corruption In PMPML’s VLTD Purchase, Demands Scrapping Of Inflated Contracts
Pune’s public transport system, already struggling with inefficiency and reliability issues, has come under scrutiny again as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Pune has alleged large-scale corruption in the procurement of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) by PMPML.
AAP Pune claims that despite repeated suggestions to integrate existing GPS-enabled ticketing machines for real-time bus tracking at no extra cost, PMPML ignored the proposal and instead purchased VLTDs at highly inflated prices. According to an RTI query filed by AAP Pune Vice President Chenthil Iyer, the average market cost of these devices is around ₹6,000 per unit, but PMPML entered into contracts at a rate of ₹15,063.5 per unit, nearly 2.5 times the retail price. The contracts also included three panic buttons per device, which cost ₹250 each in the retail market.
AAP Pune alleges that the total project cost of ₹64 lakh could have been executed for just ₹15-20 lakh with reasonable negotiations, indicating an unjustified escalation of ₹40 lakh. The party also pointed out glaring discrepancies in the contracts, including a mismatch in the number of buses mentioned, raising further concerns about transparency and due diligence.
Beyond procurement, AAP Pune criticized PMPML’s poor maintenance practices, highlighting that buses suffer from leaky roofs, missing seats, broken first-aid kits, and non-functional fire extinguishers. Similar neglect was observed in Smart City and BRTS projects, where large sums were spent on infrastructure, such as WiFi-enabled bus stops, most of which are now non-functional.
AAP Pune has demanded the immediate scrapping of the inflated VLTD contracts, strict action against the officials involved, and a cost-effective implementation of the tracking system. Pune City President Sudarshan Jagadale and Prashant Kamble reaffirmed that the party would protest against this financial mismanagement until corrective action is taken.
