Pune Metro Line 3, the 23-km Hinjawadi–Shivajinagar corridor, was inaugurated on Tuesday after missing eight proposed launch dates, with passenger services scheduled to begin on 4 November. The corridor is expected to provide an alternative for thousands of commuters travelling between the city’s major information technology hub and central Pune.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the corridor on 3 November. The line has been developed under a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of ₹8,313 crore and includes 23 stations between Maan in Hinjawadi and Shivajinagar.
Passenger operations will initially cover 17 stations. The remaining stations are expected to become operational in phases, with the complete corridor targeted for January 2027, according to the report. The phased opening means that the full operational length of the corridor will not be available to commuters immediately.
The project was originally planned for completion within 40 months, with 25 March 2025 set as the completion deadline. The timeline was later extended to 31 March 2026 after the concessionaire sought an additional 543 days, citing delays that occurred concurrently during construction.
Construction along busy arterial roads was one of the main factors affecting progress. The project required permissions for barricading, traffic management and the shifting of existing utilities, including high-voltage electricity lines and underground services. PMRDA officials confirmed in August 2025 that delays in obtaining barricading permissions and completing utility-shifting work had affected construction progress.
Heavy traffic and VIP movement along key roads also restricted the availability of uninterrupted working hours. The corridor additionally involved an integrated double-decker flyover between University Chowk and the E-Square junction, increasing the coordination required during construction.
The completion of civil and related construction work did not immediately allow passenger services to begin. Mandatory safety approval from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety was required before the line could carry passengers. The launch was delayed again in July 2026 while the authorities awaited the clearance, although the inspection process was under way.
A further delay followed after the Election Commission announced Maharashtra Legislative Council elections for the Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies in September. The Model Code of Conduct remained in force in the concerned constituencies through October, affecting plans for the public inauguration. PMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Abhijit Chaudhary had earlier said that the authority was awaiting an inauguration date from the Prime Minister’s Office and would seek guidance from election officials before proceeding.
According to a Punekar News report published on 24 September, the corridor had missed eight proposed launch dates during the preceding five months. The repeated postponements brought construction permissions, utility coordination, safety certification and inauguration scheduling into the same delivery timeline.
For commuters travelling along the congested Hinjawadi–Baner–Shivajinagar road network, the immediate milestone is the start of passenger services on 4 November. The remaining stations and the complete corridor are expected to be brought into operation in phases, with full commissioning targeted for January 2027.
