Pune: With incessant rain leaving roads riddled with potholes across the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has approved the procurement of petroleum-based materials worth nearly ₹14 crore to ensure uninterrupted operations at its Yerawada hot mix plant and speed up road repairs.
The proposal, cleared by the standing committee on Thursday, will enable the civic body to maintain a steady supply of asphalt for pothole filling, road maintenance and resurfacing during the monsoon.
The decision comes weeks after the Yerawada hot mix plant remained non-functional for nearly a week due to an acute shortage of bitumen, disrupting pothole repairs and restoration of damaged roads and utility chambers across Pune.
According to the civic administration, the plant supplies asphalt daily to all 15 regional ward offices and the road department, making it central to the city’s monsoon road maintenance programme.
To keep the plant operational throughout the year, PMC will procure VG-30 grade bitumen, light diesel oil (LDO), emulsion, roadbond (cold mix) and thermic oil. VG-30 bitumen, LDO and thermic oil will be purchased directly from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), while emulsion and roadbond will be sourced from Hindustan Colas Pvt Ltd.
Civic officials said the procurement will be made directly from manufacturers under powers delegated to the municipal commissioner, a system adopted to avoid delays associated with the tendering process.
{{/usCountry}}Civic officials said the procurement will be made directly from manufacturers under powers delegated to the municipal commissioner, a system adopted to avoid delays associated with the tendering process.
{{/usCountry}}The proposal also includes the first purchase of thermic oil for the newly installed Parker batch mix plant at Yerawada, which is required to maintain the temperature of asphalt during production.
The civic body has earmarked ₹13.99 crore for the procurement under the Special Officer (Roads) budget in the 2026-27 municipal budget.
Standing committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale said timely road repairs were essential during the monsoon and the approval would ensure uninterrupted functioning of the hot mix plant and faster pothole repairs across the city.