Pune Metro Line III: Coaches To Arrive Soon For Trail Run, 23-Km Corridor To Be Operational By 2025

Three coaches for the Pune Metro Line III, running from Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar, are expected to arrive in Pune by the end of May.

Following their arrival, these coaches will undergo rigorous testing and trials to ensure their readiness for public use, with a trial run planned for next month.

The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) is spearheading the construction of the 23.203-km-line connecting the thriving IT hub of Hinjewadi and the central business district of Shivajinagar.

Umesh Mallawat, Executive Engineer of PMRDA, stated, “We have completed 55 per cent of the work on Metro Line III. These coaches, the first lot comprising three units, will be checked at the metro depot upon arrival to confirm their operational efficiency and safety,” reports Deccan Herald.

Being built at an estimated cost of Rs 8,313 crore, the fully elevated metro project with 23 stations on the way, connects Baner Road, Balewadi, Aundh and Pune University. 

At Shivajinagar, it will integrate with existing lines 1 and 2 of Pune Metro, enhancing connectivity across the city.

The project, undertaken by PMRDA under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, is executed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) named Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, formed by the Tata Group and Siemens. A dedicated depot on 55 acres of MIDC land in Hinjewadi has been established to support maintenance and operations.

The work on the project started in December 2021 and considering the 40-month completion timeline, the projection for operational readiness is March 2025.

In April, workers initiated the construction of a double-decker viaduct on Ganesh Khind Road towards Pune University, connecting Aundh Road and RBI Chowk.

To expedite construction, significant traffic route alterations have been enforced since 4 May to ease congestion between Veer Chaphekar Chowk and Shimla Office.

The metro line will traverse the 23.3 km distance in under 40 minutes, connecting the Mann metro depot through Hinjewadi Park to Civil Court in Shivajinagar.

Currently, this route takes over an hour to traverse by road and the opening of the metro service will help ease the major traffic problem on the roads heading to Hinjewadi.