Pune Metro’s 23-kilometre Pink Line, connecting the Hinjewadi IT hub with Shivajinagar, is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 3, offering thousands of daily commuters an alternative to road travel. The corridor has been developed at a reported cost of more than Rs 8,300 crore and is expected to strengthen connectivity between western Pune’s technology district and the city’s established central areas.
The Pink Line, identified as Metro Line 3, will connect Maan to the District Court Metro station, according to a report by Navbharat Times – Pune. The route is intended to provide a direct public transport connection between Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar, two areas linked by substantial daily movement of employees, residents and other commuters.
The new corridor is also being presented as a distinct employment and sustainability initiative within Pune’s expanding metro system. The line will be operated by women train operators, a move aimed at increasing women’s participation in public transport operations and creating additional employment opportunities in the sector.
Around 30 per cent of the corridor’s electricity requirement is planned to be met through solar energy, the report said. The use of solar power is intended to reduce dependence on conventional energy sources while supporting a lower-impact public transport system. The supplied report did not provide further details on the solar installations, their capacity or the timeline for achieving the stated share.
Fares on the Pink Line have been set according to travel distance. Journeys of up to 2 kilometres will cost Rs 12, while trips covering more than 2 kilometres and up to 4 kilometres will cost Rs 25. The fare rises to Rs 37 for distances between 4 and 8 kilometres, Rs 43 for journeys between 8 and 12 kilometres, and Rs 49 for travel between 12 and 18 kilometres. The maximum fare for journeys exceeding 18 kilometres is Rs 62.
The reported maximum fare is higher than the existing Rs 35 maximum fare on Pune’s metro network. This means that passengers making longer trips on the new corridor will face a higher ticket cost than users travelling on the current network, although the Pink Line will provide a direct connection to the Hinjewadi area.
The inauguration is also expected to mark the launch of the next phase of Pune’s metro expansion. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for four additional corridors under Phase 2, with a reported combined cost of around Rs 13,500 crore.
The proposed Phase 2 corridors are Line 2A between Vanaz and Chandni Chowk, Line 2B between Ramwadi and Vitthalwadi, Line 4 between Kharadi and Khadakwasla, and Line 4A between Nal Stop and Manik Baug. Together, these corridors are intended to extend metro access to more parts of Pune and provide additional public transport options for cross-city travel.
The Pink Line’s inauguration and the Phase 2 foundation ceremonies place both immediate operations and future network expansion on Pune’s public transport agenda. The next official milestones are the inauguration of Line 3 and the foundation-laying programme for the four proposed corridors.
