The delayed launch of Pune’s Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro has triggered criticism from Congress leader Mohan Joshi, who alleged that the service is being held back because the Prime Minister’s schedule has not been secured for its inauguration.
Joshi, a former MLA and senior vice-president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, said the metro line should be opened for passengers because work on most of the route has been completed. His comments were reported by Lokmat – Pune on October 24.
The Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro is expected to provide an alternative to road travel for employees and residents travelling to and from Hinjewadi’s information technology park. The area is regularly affected by traffic congestion, and commuters have been expecting the metro to reduce pressure on the road network once passenger operations begin.
According to the report, the Metro Railway Safety Commissioner granted permission for all 17 stations on the route three months ago. Trains have also reportedly been operating on the line for several days without passengers. The report did not provide a confirmed date for the start of commercial passenger services or details of any remaining operational approvals.
Joshi criticised the continued delay, saying the situation was testing Pune residents’ patience and could amount to a waste of public money collected through taxes. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party had prevented the metro service from starting and claimed that the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority, which is constructing the route, had been unable to proceed because of political pressure.
The allegations were made by Joshi and were not accompanied in the report by a response from the Bharatiya Janata Party, the PMRDA or the Metro Railway Safety Commissioner. The report also did not establish whether the Prime Minister’s availability is the only factor delaying the passenger launch or whether other operational and administrative steps remain pending.
The route’s opening is significant for the Hinjewadi IT corridor, where traffic congestion has become a persistent commuting problem. However, the immediate effect of the project will depend on the start of regular passenger services, the final operational schedule and the ability of the implementing authority to place the full route into service.
The next confirmed milestone remains the official inauguration and announcement of commercial operations. Until then, trains may continue to run without passengers despite the reported safety clearance for the 17 stations.
