Pune Metro Line 3, connecting the Hinjewadi IT hub with Shivajinagar, was inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, as the Union government announced a wider expansion of metro infrastructure across Pune and Maharashtra. The 23-km corridor has been built at an estimated cost of more than ₹8,300 crore.
During the event, Modi also laid the foundation stone for four new corridors under Pune Metro Phase II. Lines 2A, 2B, 4 and 4A are expected to strengthen connections between residential, commercial and information technology hubs across the city. The four corridors involve an estimated investment of around ₹13,500 crore.
Modi said India’s operational metro network had expanded from 248 km in 2014 to nearly 1,200 km in 2026. Metro services, which were available in five cities in 2014, are now operational in 26 cities, he said. More than one crore people travel by metro every day, according to the figures cited during the address.
The new Pune corridor is intended to improve access between Hinjewadi, one of the city’s major information technology centres, and Shivajinagar. The Prime Minister said the line would improve connectivity, reduce commuting time and help ease traffic congestion for IT professionals travelling between Hinjewadi and other parts of Pune.
Pune’s transport challenge is closely linked to the movement of workers between its employment clusters and established residential areas. The city is also a major centre for automobiles, pharmaceuticals, startups, innovation and manufacturing. Modi said improved metro connectivity would provide fresh momentum to Pune’s development and contribute to the city’s productivity.
Pune Metro Line 3 is being developed under the Public-Private Partnership model. Modi described the project as an example of cooperation between the government and private sector to accelerate infrastructure development. The announcement places the corridor within a broader shift towards using public and private investment for large urban transport projects.
Maharashtra’s operational metro network has grown from 11 km in 2014 to nearly 200 km, Modi said. Work is underway on more than 680 km of metro lines in the state, with investments exceeding ₹2.5 lakh crore. The figures cover the state’s wider metro expansion rather than Pune Metro Line 3 alone.
The Prime Minister also called for cooperation between local bodies and private stakeholders to transform smaller cities into growth centres. His remarks linked metro expansion not only to daily commuting but also to the government’s broader objective of improving ease of living and transportation in urban areas.
The Pune event also included remarks on the difficulties faced by farmers in Maharashtra because of adverse weather conditions. Modi assured affected farmers of support from the Centre and the NDA government and appealed to people to ensure that affected rural families could celebrate Deepavali.
The next stage of Pune’s metro expansion will involve the implementation of the four Phase II corridors announced during the event. The source report does not provide their construction timelines or opening dates.
