Pune Metro Nears Completion Of Line 1's Final Stretch, Eyes September Launch

Pune Metro is gearing up for the final inspection and safety clearance of three key stations — Budhwar Peth, Mandai, and Swargate — by the end of July, signalling a crucial milestone in the completion of Line 1's Civil Court to Swargate stretch.

The first phase of the Pune Metro rail project consists of two corridors, a north-south corridor (Purple line) and an east-west corridor (Aqua line), with a total length of 33.1 km and 30 stations.

The north-south corridor stretching 17.4 kilometres from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Swargate, featuring 14 stations (nine elevated and five underground), passes through the industrial area of Pimpri-Chinchwad and further into old Peth areas of the Pune city.

Officials have indicated that the aim is to commence operations on this segment ahead of the Ganesh festival in September and in compliance with the model code of conduct preceding the state assembly elections scheduled for October.

Atul Gadgil, director (works) of Pune Metro, provided updates on the progress, stating, "The Swargate underground station is nearing completion with 95 per cent of the work already done. Additionally, we are on track to finalise the Budhwar Peth to Mandai stretch by next month," reports Deccan Herald.

Earlier in February 2024, Pune Metro successfully conducted a trial run from Civil Court to Swargate station, marking a significant milestone in the project. The trial, covering a distance of 3.34 km at a speed of 7.5 km per hour, demonstrated the readiness of the infrastructure for passenger operations.