Pune Metro Line 3 connecting Maan-Hinjawadi with Shivajinagar was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, while foundation stones were laid for four additional corridors planned under Pune Metro Phase II.
The 23.203-km elevated corridor has 23 stations and connects Hinjawadi’s information technology hub with central Pune. Developed at a reported cost of Rs 8,313 crore under a public-private partnership and Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer framework, the line is intended to provide an alternative to road travel for IT employees and other daily commuters.
Speaking at the inauguration, Modi said the corridor would improve links between Pune’s older areas and its expanding technology and employment centres. He said modern public transport systems reduce commuting time, improve productivity and support economic growth.
The Prime Minister also said India’s operational metro network had expanded from 248 km in 2014 to approximately 1,200 km, with services available in 26 cities. More than one crore passengers now travel by metro every day, according to figures cited during the event. Maharashtra’s operational metro network, he said, had grown from about 10-11 km in 2014 to approximately 200 km, with more than 680 km of additional routes under construction or development.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said employees travelling to Hinjawadi currently spend one to two hours in traffic congestion each day. He said Line 3 would provide relief to IT professionals and strengthen connectivity between Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the wider Pune Metropolitan Region. Fadnavis also described the corridor as the country’s first metro project developed under the public-private partnership model, with Tata Projects and Siemens executing it under the DBOT framework.
Officials said women would have a significant role in operating the corridor. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar said around 100 women train pilots would be involved and women would account for 50 per cent of the station workforce. She described Line 3 as India’s first 100 per cent women-operated metro corridor. The project has also been presented as a “Pink Powered” metro because of women’s participation in its construction and operations.
The programme also marked the foundation stone ceremony for four Phase II corridors: Khadakwasla-Kharadi, Vanaz-Chandani Chowk, Ramwadi-Wagholi and Manikbaug-Nal Stop. Sunetra Pawar said the four corridors, covering 31 km with 28 stations, had received Union Cabinet approval at an estimated cost of Rs 9,858 crore. The proposed links are intended to extend metro access towards Chandani Chowk, Kothrud, Bavdhan, Viman Nagar, Kharadi and Wagholi.
Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol said the inauguration would take Pune Metro’s network to approximately 55 km. He cited 9,58,603 passenger journeys recorded by Pune Metro in September. Officials also said road works worth Rs 426 crore had been approved to improve access to metro stations in Hinjawadi, Maan and Marunji.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said more than 90 lakh passengers had travelled on Pune Metro so far and described Line 3 as a milestone for the city’s public transport system. The next phase will determine how quickly the approved corridors move from foundation ceremonies and planning into construction and passenger operations.
