Pune Metro’s Pink Line began public operations on Wednesday with six of its 23 stations still closed, leaving residents of Baner and Balewadi without direct access to four stations on the new 23km elevated corridor.
The stations that remained shut in the Baner-Balewadi area are Baner Gaon, Baner-Pashan Link Road, Balewadi Phata and Balewadi High Street. Residents expressed disappointment on the first day of public operations, according to a report by the Times of India.
Passengers from Baner and Balewadi instead travelled to nearby operational stations to board trains. The stations used by commuters included Aundh, RK Laxman Museum Balewadi and MITCON Balewadi.
The affected areas have a significant number of commuters travelling towards Hinjewadi and Civil Court, the report said. The closure of four stations means that residents living near the planned stops must first reach another station before using the new metro corridor.
The Pink Line is an elevated Metro stretch extending 23km, with 23 stations planned along the corridor. However, only 17 stations were functional when public operations began. The remaining two closed stations are Shivajinagar and Bhosalenagar-RBI, both located on University Road.
The first-day experience highlights the difference between opening a Metro corridor for public service and making the full network available to passengers. While trains have started operating on the new stretch, commuters in several neighbourhoods are still dependent on access points farther from their homes.
For Baner and Balewadi residents, the station closures are particularly significant because the four non-operational stops are located within areas expected to generate demand for travel towards Hinjewadi and Civil Court. Instead of walking or using local transport to a nearby station, passengers must begin their journey from one of the operational stations identified in the report.
The closures also affect the usefulness of the corridor as a neighbourhood transport system. A Metro line can provide a fast trunk connection, but its accessibility depends on the stations that are open, the distance passengers must cover to reach them and the availability of connecting travel options. The report did not specify when the six closed stations would begin operations.
The immediate operational picture is therefore a partially open corridor: Pune Metro’s Pink Line is carrying passengers, but six stations remain unavailable on the first day of service. Authorities’ next steps and the timeline for opening Baner Gaon, Baner-Pashan Link Road, Balewadi Phata, Balewadi High Street, Shivajinagar and Bhosalenagar-RBI will determine when the full 23-station stretch becomes accessible to commuters.
