Pune Metro Line 3, connecting Maan-Hinjewadi with Shivajinagar, was inaugurated through a video-linked ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 4, with the launch positioned as a major boost for connectivity to Pune’s information technology corridor. The ceremony was held at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, where the foundation stones for routes under the metro’s second phase were also laid.
The project is expected to link the Hinjewadi technology hub with the existing and planned metro network, according to remarks attributed to Modi during the event. He said the connection would benefit the information technology sector and support industries including automobiles, pharmaceuticals and start-ups. The launch comes as Pune and the surrounding metropolitan region continue to expand their dependence on mass public transport for access to employment centres.
Modi said the new line would connect older and newer metro routes and improve the efficiency of the city. He described metro expansion as an important part of urban development and said its benefits would extend beyond passengers to industries, factories and local businesses involved in construction and related activity.
The event was attended by Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Union Minister Manohar Lal through video link, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, state minister Chandrakant Patil, Minister of State Madhuri Misal, former Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe, Pune Mayor Manjusha Nagpure, Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Ravi Landge and Member of Parliament Shrirang Barane, among others.
Dr Abhijit Chaudhary, Metropolitan Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority, delivered the introductory remarks. Anil Saini, Chief Executive Officer of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, delivered the vote of thanks. The ceremony also included remarks on urban development, support for economically vulnerable households and assistance to farmers affected by difficult conditions in Maharashtra.
The Prime Minister cited national metro expansion figures during the programme, saying that India had 248 kilometres of metro routes across five cities in 2014, compared with 1,200 kilometres across 26 cities at present. He said India’s metro network is now counted among the world’s top three networks. These figures were presented as evidence of the central government’s wider push to expand urban rail infrastructure.
Modi also said the Union government had approved an Urban Challenge Fund involving assistance of Rs 1 lakh crore for city development. The fund and the newly inaugurated Pune connection were presented as part of a broader effort to improve urban infrastructure and make city services more accessible.
The ceremony concluded with the launch of Pune Metro Line 3 and the foundation-laying programme for additional routes under the second phase. Further implementation will depend on the announced project schedule and the work undertaken by the responsible metro and regional development authorities.
