Pune is trading its regular traffic patterns for cycling jerseys and support convoys this January. The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026, a premier international cycling event organised by a consortium of civic bodies, is inviting riders from around the world to test themselves against the trails of the Deccan Plateau. For commuters, logistics teams and businesses across Pune district, the four-stage race translates into a genuinely complex week of road closures that runs well beyond the finish line of each stage.
Four stages, four corners of the district
Stage 1 on 20 January covers the 87.2-kilometre Mulshi-Maval-Pimpri-Chinchwad route, starting at TCS Circle, Hinjewadi Phase 3 and finishing at DY Patil International Institute, Akurdi. Stage 2 on 21 January follows the 105-kilometre Maratha Heritage Circuit through Pune, Purandar, Rajgad and Haveli, finishing at Nanded City. Stage 3 on 22 January is the longest leg, the 134-kilometre Western Ghats Gateway from Saswad to Baramati, and Stage 4 on 23 January closes the tour with the 95-kilometre Pune Pride Loop from Balewadi Stadium to Balgandharva Rangmandir on JM Road.
Rolling closures across a dozen police jurisdictions
Each stage triggers a distinct set of diversions. On 20 January, State Highway 130 and MDR 110 near Paud remain completely closed, with traffic rerouted via MDR 26. Vadgaon Maval, Kamshet and Lonavala Rural police areas impose similar full closures on connecting roads. On 21 and 22 January, the Saswad, Rajgad, Velhe, Jejuri, Vadgaon Nibalkar, Supa and Baramati Taluka jurisdictions layer in further diversions around Kapurhol, Nira, Baramati and the Palkhi Highway, which stays shut for the competition’s duration. Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have also mapped the full race route, restricted stretches and diversion points for the final stage.
What organisations should plan for
Employers with staff commuting through Mulshi, Velhe, Rajgad, Saswad or Baramati should review the stage-wise advisories and consider staggered hours or alternate routes for the affected days. Logistics and field-service teams should pre-map alternate corridors and revise delivery timelines to avoid the restricted stretches during race hours, and journeys to Pune International Airport should build in extra buffer time, particularly around each stage’s afternoon finish and award-ceremony window.
What residents should know
Residents, tourists and daily commuters should check the police station-wise advisories for their route rather than relying on habitual paths, since several stretches have no alternative road at all. Motorists should follow traffic police instructions rather than attempt to bypass barricades, and those planning to visit forts, ghats or rural areas along the route should verify access in advance, as tourist traffic to sites such as Sinhagad Fort is expected to be suspended while the race passes.
Download the full report now
The MitKat Special Advisory on the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 covers stage-wise route maps, a full day-by-day traffic advisory for every police jurisdiction, and emergency contacts. Download the full advisory now to plan around race week.
What is inside
- The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 is a four-stage international cycling race across Pune district from 19 to 23 January, with elaborate traffic arrangements in place until 23 January.
- The four stages cover Mulshi-Maval-PCMC, Pune-Purandar-Rajgad-Haveli, Purandar-Baramati and Pune-Haveli-PCMC, together spanning more than 420 kilometres.
- Twelve police station jurisdictions, including Paud, Kamshet, Saswad, Rajgad, Velhe, Haveli, Jejuri and Baramati Taluka, have imposed rolling road closures and diversions.
- Businesses and commuters are advised to plan around daily closure windows and allow buffer time for journeys to and from Pune International Airport.
Filed under: India-South AsiaThreat Intelligence Advisories