Pune Metro’s expansion received a major push on 3 November with the inauguration of the third corridor between Man-Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar, alongside the foundation-laying ceremony for four corridors planned under the network’s second phase. The events were conducted at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating through a video link, according to Lokmat – Pune.
The Man-Hinjewadi–Shivajinagar corridor is expected to strengthen public transport connectivity across one of Pune’s key employment and education belts. The report said the metro project is being positioned as a response to the city’s growing population and increasing demand for modern, safe and environmentally sustainable public transport.
Sunetra Pawar, speaking at the Balewadi programme, said the metro would help address traffic congestion, longer travel times and pollution. She noted that thousands of students, employees and businesspeople travel across Pune every day, creating a need for a wider and more reliable mass-transit network.
The programme also marked the beginning of work on four corridors under Pune Metro’s second phase. Together, the third corridor and the Phase 2 projects involve a proposed investment of approximately Rs 21,800 crore, the report said. The supplied account did not provide the individual length, station count, completion schedule or construction deadline for each corridor.
Pawar also referred to Ajit Pawar’s contribution to the project, stating that his involvement extended from preparation of the detailed project report to the project’s approval. Her remarks placed the metro expansion within the wider development agenda for Pune, where road congestion and travel demand have increased alongside urban growth.
The event’s messaging linked the infrastructure programme to Pune’s social history. Pawar said that in the city where Savitribai Phule started schools for girls, the responsibility for carrying forward the metro had now come to “Savitribai’s daughters”. The statement connected the public transport project with women’s participation in the city’s development and civic life.
The inauguration of the Hinjewadi–Shivajinagar corridor and the start of Phase 2 works represent a significant step in the expansion of Pune’s urban transport system. The next milestones will depend on the execution of the newly launched works, including construction progress, corridor-level timelines and the eventual delivery of services to passengers.
