India, Jan. 14 -- The high-quality road infrastructure developed across rural Pune district for the upcoming international cycling event has significantly improved last-mile connectivity to nearly 140 villages, delivering long-term benefits for agriculture, tourism and local livelihoods, district collector Jitendra Dudi said on Tuesday.

Dudi said the multi-stage cycling race, scheduled from January 19, was used as an opportunity to upgrade rural roads that had awaited improvement for years. "These roads are not temporary arrangements for a single event. They are permanent assets for rural Pune," he said, adding that the strengthened network would help farmers transport produce faster, support tourism and boost small-scale industries.

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