Pune Metro Line 3, connecting the Hinjewadi IT hub with Shivajinagar, was inaugurated on Tuesday through a virtual ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with passenger services scheduled to begin on November 4. The 23-km corridor is expected to give thousands of IT employees and other commuters a direct public transport option between western Pune and the city centre.
Built at an estimated cost of more than ₹8,300 crore, the Pink Line runs between Maan and the District Court Metro station. Its opening adds a major east-west connection to Pune’s expanding metro system and gives commuters an alternative to road travel through one of the city’s busiest employment and residential corridors.
The inauguration ceremony was held at the Balewadi Sports Complex in the presence of Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol and other state leaders.
The corridor’s primary urban significance lies in its connection to Hinjewadi, a major information technology district with a large daily workforce. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the project had moved from its foundation ceremony to completion and acknowledged the contribution of Tata and Siemens in executing the corridor. The project had faced doubts over whether it would be completed, according to Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.
At the event, foundation stones were also laid for four proposed metro corridors that are expected to extend Pune’s metro network by another 46 km. The announcements mark a further expansion of the city’s planned rapid transit system, although the source report does not provide construction timelines or scheduled completion dates for these proposed corridors.
Modi said reliable public transport could improve urban mobility and quality of life, while also supporting economic activity, generating opportunities and reducing inequalities. He linked Pune’s infrastructure expansion to the city’s contribution to national development and the broader growth of metro services across India.
Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol said India’s metro network now spans 1,200 km across 26 cities and carries more than one crore passengers daily. Modi also referred to metro services operating in 26 cities and carrying more than one crore passengers each day.
The inauguration also highlighted the workforce operating the new service. Shinde said women account for 50% of the metro workforce and are involved not only in staff positions but also in train operations. He described the opening as a Diwali gift for Pune residents and credited the late Ajit Pawar with contributing to the development of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Passenger operations on Line 3 are scheduled to start on Wednesday, November 4, offering commuters travelling between Maan, Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar a new option for avoiding road congestion. The four additional corridors will now move into the next stages of planning and implementation after the foundation-stone ceremony.
