The Hinjewadi Metro is scheduled to be inaugurated on November 3, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to join the ceremony virtually after his proposed Pune visit was postponed, according to a report by Lokmat – Pune. The event is planned at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar expected to attend in person.
The 23-kilometre Man-Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar Metro corridor, also known as Metro Line 3, is being developed through the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) under a public-private partnership. The corridor is intended to connect Hinjewadi’s information technology park with key western Pune neighbourhoods and Shivajinagar.
Most of the work on the corridor is reported to be nearing completion. However, the exact schedule for starting passenger operations has not yet been officially announced. Officials are also yet to clarify how many of the corridor’s 23 stations will open in the first phase.
The proposed inauguration date follows earlier uncertainty over the launch programme. Several dates had reportedly been discussed, while the event was delayed because of the model code of conduct linked to Legislative Council elections. The postponement of the Prime Minister’s Pune visit had also raised the possibility that the metro programme could be deferred again.
According to the report, the plan is now to hold the inauguration on the scheduled date through a virtual appearance by the Prime Minister. The Maharashtra Chief Minister and the two Deputy Chief Ministers are expected to be present at the Balewadi venue. The final format of the event and the arrangements for beginning passenger services are expected to be formally communicated after the election code of conduct for the graduate and teacher constituencies ends.
The corridor is expected to serve commuters travelling between Hinjewadi, Balewadi, Baner and Shivajinagar. Hinjewadi is one of Pune’s largest employment centres, but its road network faces heavy commuter traffic during peak hours. The metro line’s operational importance will therefore depend not only on the inauguration ceremony but also on when trains begin carrying passengers, how much of the route opens initially and how the first phase is connected to existing transport services.
The report does not provide a confirmed passenger-service start date, opening timetable, fares or details of the stations that will be operational at launch. Those details remain awaited from the authorities and project agencies. The November 3 inauguration plan and the subsequent passenger-service announcement will determine when commuters can begin using the corridor.
