Pune Metro Line 3, connecting Maan-Hinjewadi with Shivajinagar, will begin passenger operations at 6 am on November 4, opening a long-awaited public transport link between the Pune region’s major information technology hub and its administrative and commercial centre.
The 23-km line will run at six-minute intervals during peak hours and every 12 minutes during other operating hours. The last train will leave Maan-Hinjewadi at 10.30 pm, while the final service from Shivajinagar will depart at 11.40 pm, according to details released by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) and Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL).
The line will be virtually inaugurated on November 3 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar are scheduled to attend the ceremony at 10.30 am at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mhalunge-Balewadi.
PMRDA has developed the project, while PITCMRL is implementing it. PMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Abhijit Chaudhary said the corridor would connect Maan with Shivajinagar through Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi. The project has an estimated cost of Rs 8,313 crore, including land acquisition and the relocation of services and facilities.
The corridor is being implemented on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis under a public-private partnership model. According to Chaudhary, it is the first metro project in the country to be implemented on a DBFOT basis under the central government’s National Metro Rail Policy, 2017.
Of the 23 stations planned on the line, 17 will open to passengers on November 4. At seven stations—Maan, Maan-MIDC Circle Phase-2, Maan-Bus Depot, Hinjewadi Phase-2 Circle-1, Padmabhushan Chowk, Agricultural College and District and Sessions Court—one staircase will initially be open. Both escalators will be available at the other ten stations opening with the first phase.
The remaining six stations are at different stages of completion. Two are expected to be completed by the end of November 2026, while the other four stations and their escalators are scheduled to be completed in phases by January 2027.
At District Court station, Line 3 will connect with Maha Metro’s Line 1 between Pimpri-Chinchwad and Swargate and Line 2 between Vanaz and Ramwadi. A joint ticketing application has been developed for passengers using Maha Metro and Line 3, PITCMRL chief executive officer Anil Kumar Saini said.
The project’s station-area arrangements will include pick-up and drop-off points for PMPML buses, rickshaws, app-based taxis and e-bikes. Parking for two-wheelers and four-wheelers is also planned near stations. Separate cycle lanes, wider footpaths, pedestrian crossings and bridges are being constructed as part of the access arrangements.
The corridor is expected to provide a new public transport option for commuters travelling between Hinjewadi and central Pune, while the authorities have said the supporting pedestrian and interchange infrastructure will help reduce traffic congestion, particularly in the Hinjewadi area. Further station openings and the completion of remaining escalators are scheduled through January 2027.
