Some Work Still Pending On Pune Metro Line 3, Quality Can Be Assessed Only After Completion: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Pune: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday acknowledged that some work on the newly inaugurated Pune Metro Line 3 remained pending. He said the quality of the project could be assessed only after all the remaining work was completed.

Speaking to reporters after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 23.2-km Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar corridor, Fadnavis said the government had already acknowledged that some work was yet to be completed and was taking steps to finish it.

"I believe there is still some work remaining, and we have already publicly declared that some work remains pending. We are currently finishing the remaining work, and only after it is fully completed can we speak about its quality. How can one comment on the quality of incomplete work?" he said.

The Chief Minister described the corridor as an engineering challenge and said it had faced several hurdles during construction. He said he, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and late DCM Ajit Pawar had regularly followed up on the project through the Chief Minister's War Room to secure the necessary permissions.

Passenger services on the ₹8,313 crore corridor are scheduled to begin on Nov 04 at 17 of its 23 stations. The remaining six stations are expected to open in phases by January 2027.

Fadnavis Acknowledges Challenges, Praises Project Developers

Fadnavis said the Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro corridor was particularly important for Pune's IT sector, as thousands of employees faced heavy traffic congestion while travelling to the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park.

He said the new service would reduce travel time and improve the daily commute for employees and other passengers.

The elevated corridor connects Maan in Hinjawadi with District Court in Shivajinagar. The journey is expected to take around 40-45 minutes.

Fadnavis said the project was the first Metro corridor in the country to be implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model introduced through the Central Government's New Metro Rail Policy, 2017.

It follows the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model. Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, a joint venture involving Tata Realty and Siemens, developed the project.

The Chief Minister congratulated both companies for completing the project despite the challenges.

Integrated Ticketing System Has Started, Further Work Remains

Fadnavis also spoke about efforts to integrate different public transport services in Pune.

He said an integrated ticketing system for Metro services had already commenced. The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus network had also been brought onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform.

However, he acknowledged that further integration was still required. "Some further integration is still required, and we will complete that integration in the coming days as well," he said.

The proposed integration aims to make it easier for commuters to access Metro and bus services through a connected ticketing system.

Four New Metro Corridors To Expand Pune's Network

Fadnavis also referred to the foundation-stone ceremony for four new Metro corridors under Phase II, held during the inauguration programme.

The four corridors together cover approximately 44.4 km and involve an estimated investment of ₹13,484 crore.

The proposed routes include Vanaz-Chandani Chowk, Ramwadi-Vitthalwadi, Kharadi-Khadakwasla and Nal Stop-Manik Baug.

He said the new corridors would provide connectivity across different parts of Pune. The government also plans to develop an integrated mobility network covering Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the wider Pune Metropolitan Region by 2030.

Fadnavis said the broader Metro network was envisaged to span around 120 km and could eventually extend towards the proposed Purandar International Airport. However, the airport extension remains a proposal and is not part of the four corridors announced under Phase II.

₹5,000 Crore For Pune Growth Hub

The Chief Minister also highlighted the Pune Growth Hub initiative and said the Centre had made a provision of ₹5,000 crore for the region's development over five years.

He said the initiative would help position Pune and its surrounding areas as major economic and mobility centres.

The proposed development covers Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the wider metropolitan region. Fadnavis said the government was working towards an integrated infrastructure plan covering transport, water supply, sewage systems and other civic facilities.

He also referred to projects such as the Pune Outer Ring Road, Inner Ring Road, High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) and proposed tunnels.

The Chief Minister said Metro connectivity was not limited to improving public transport but also acted as an economic multiplier by creating employment opportunities and supporting development.

Women To Operate Entire Metro Corridor

Fadnavis also highlighted women's participation in the project. He said nearly 100 trained women train operators would operate the entire corridor.

Women also account for around 50% of the remaining workforce, making Line 3 an important initiative for women's participation in the transport sector.

He described the corridor as the Pink Line and said women's contribution had been significant during both construction and operations.