'Will Walk Shirtless If…': X User Challenges Authorities Over Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro Deadline

An X (formerly Twitter) user has challenged the authorities of Puneri Metro (Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar) that if the line becomes operational by its deadline (March 2026), he would walk shirtless on the Pune University Road.

"I will walk shirtless on the University Road if this line becomes operational by March. And by that, I mean the entire 23 km line," the user wrote on X. "Not one metro station is ready from Shivajinagar to Balewadi. Tonnes and tonnes of unattended debris lie on the road, no arrangement for parking, no footover bridges," he added.

Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro

According to assurances given by Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) Commissioner Dr Yogesh Mhase, the Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro line will become operational by March 2026. The 23.3 km elevated line, which is approximately 90% complete, is on track to meet this deadline, he added.

Earlier, the Forum of IT Employees (FITE) wrote a letter to Mhase and demanded a phased opening of the metro line. It claimed that Baner houses nearly 2 lakh employees working in Hinjawadi, and due to this very large IT population travelling daily to offices, traffic congestion problems are huge. The Hinjawadi Phase 3 to Baner stretch should be started as soon as possible, the letter read.

Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro line has 23 stations

Megapolis Circle, Embassy Quadron Business Park, Dohler, Infosys Phase II, Wipro Phase II, Pall India, Shivaji Chowk, Hinjawadi, Wakad Chowk, Balewadi Stadium, NICMAR, Ram Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Balewadi Phata, Baner Gaon, Baner, Krushi Anusadhan, Sakal Nagar, University, RBI, Agriculture College, Shivajinagar, and Civil Court are the planned stations, with the depot located in Mann village.