Pune Metro Line 3 is expected to add between 50,000 and 75,000 commuters to the city’s existing Metro network in phases after the Maan-District Court corridor opens, according to Maha Metro officials. The Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar line will connect with the operational network at Civil Court station, creating an interchange between all three corridors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the Maan-District Court Metro Line 3 virtually on Tuesday. The event will also include the foundation stone laying for four proposed Metro corridors with a combined length of around 45 kilometres.
The new corridor is expected to increase passenger volumes on Pune’s Vanaz-Ramwadi and Swargate-PCMC routes by allowing commuters to transfer at Civil Court. Maha Metro officials said train frequency on the two operational corridors would be increased depending on the rise in passenger traffic.
Trains on the existing routes currently operate at five-minute intervals. The Metro system is equipped to support more frequent services, according to the officials. The expected ridership increase will therefore be managed partly through adjustments to the frequency of trains on the existing corridors.
Civil Court station has been equipped with a foot overbridge to facilitate passenger movement between the corridors. The interchange is expected to become a key transfer point for passengers travelling between Hinjewadi, Shivajinagar and other parts of Pune served by the existing Metro routes.
However, commuters will initially need to purchase separate tickets for the two networks. An integrated online ticketing system is expected to become operational with the launch of the new line, which would simplify transactions for passengers using the connected corridors.
Daily ridership on Pune’s two operational Metro corridors currently ranges between 2.3 lakh and 2.5 lakh passengers. Maha Metro expects the new connectivity to push up this figure as passengers from the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar corridor begin using the existing routes.
The foundation stone ceremony will cover four proposed corridors: Vanaz-Chandni Chowk, Ramwadi-Vitthalwadi, Nal Stop-Manikbaug and Kharadi-Khadakwasla. Together, the proposed projects are intended to extend Pune’s Metro coverage beyond the corridors currently in operation.
The next operational milestones are the virtual inauguration of Maan-District Court Metro Line 3, the introduction of the integrated online ticketing system and any subsequent increase in train frequency based on passenger traffic.
