Kothrud is built around two arterial roads: Karve Road runs east into Deccan and central Pune, while Paud Road runs west through Chandani Chowk toward the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway. The Pune Metro Aqua Line serves the suburb through the Vanaz, Ideal Colony and Anand Nagar stations.

PMPML runs two bus depots, Kothrud Depot and Kothrud Stand, with routes reaching Nigdi, Hadapsar, Swargate and villages to the west and south, plus a direct peak-hour service to the Wipro Circle in Hinjewadi.

Kothrud draws students from across India and abroad through institutions such as Maharashtra Institute of Technology, MIT World Peace University and Marathwada Mitra Mandal's College of Engineering, all on or near Paud Road, along with MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women.

Schools including Abhinava Vidyalaya, Bal Shikshan Mandir, Kalmadi Shamrao High School and Paranjape Vidya Mandir serve younger residents, and the large student population shapes much of the suburb's housing and food economy.

IT employers Cognizant, Persistent Systems and Tech Mahindra operate in Kothrud, alongside Harbinger Systems, Harbinger Knowledge Products and e-Zest Solutions. The registered office of Kirloskar Industries is based here, and Cummins India runs its Kothrud Engine Plant manufacturing facility in the western part of the suburb.

The Automotive Research Association of India sits atop Vetal Tekdi on Kothrud's northern edge, and the Kothrud Industrial Estate hosts small and micro manufacturing and printing units.

Joshi's Museum of Miniature Railways houses a detailed working model railway city and draws visitors from across Pune. The Vikram Pendse Cycle Museum holds a private collection of over 150 vintage bicycles dating back to 1916.

The Peshwa-era Mrutyunjayeshwar Mandir and the Dashabhuja Ganpati Mandir are notable temples in the area, and walking trails up Vetal Tekdi offer hilltop views over the city.

Kothrud has grown well beyond a purely residential suburb, with restaurants, cinemas, malls, theatres and health clubs now dotting Paud Road and Karve Road.

The suburb's large student population supports a lively cafe and casual-dining scene that runs late into the evening.

Kothrud falls under Pune Municipal Corporation and spans several wards, each represented by an elected corporator who handles local upkeep and grievances. Groundwater is available through the year across most of the suburb, recharged by the aquifers under Vetal Tekdi.

Rapid redevelopment of older buildings into taller towers has intensified pressure on roads and open ground, and city authorities have been reviewing road and traffic improvements in the area.