In good news for Punekars, the tambora-shaped pedestrian bridge connecting Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan Metro Station to the Peth area is nearing completion and is set to open next month.
The 105-metre-long cable-stayed bridge is set to enhance last-mile connectivity for residents and office-goers from areas such as Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, etc.
"The construction is almost complete. Only painting and minor finishing touches remain. Once those are done, we will invite the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) for a final inspection. The bridge will be inaugurated and opened to the public in August," Atul Gadgil, Director (Works), Pune Metro, told HT.
The construction of the bridge began in March 2022.
Meanwhile, Pune Metro commuters are urging authorities to extend metro service hours till midnight to accommodate those working late shifts and ensure that they can reach home conveniently. At present, the metro operates from 6am to 11pm.
However, speaking to The Free Press Journal, Hemant Sonawane, Executive Director (Administration and Public Relations), Maha Metro, said no such plans are in the offing currently.
"As of now, we cannot stretch the metro timing post 11pm because when we did a footfall analysis, the ridership was too low between 6am to 7am and 10pm to 11pm. The footfall during these hours is in the range of 2,000 to 5,000," Sonawane said.
"Besides, the maintenance charge of the metro is high. It will lead to a loss if we increase the trips in the absence of enough footfall. However, in the future, if the ridership increases, authorities will decide to increase the timings," he added.
