The much-awaited Metro Line 3 has moved a step closer to completion. Speaking at a media interaction, Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited CEO Anil Kumar Saini said the first phase of the project is expected to be completed by June 30, 2026, while the second phase is targeted for completion by the end of August 2026. However, the official inauguration date and the timeline for opening the corridor to the general public are yet to be announced.
The media interaction on Wednesday also gave journalists an exclusive first look inside the under-construction Metro Line 3, which will connect Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar.
Speaking on the progress of the project, Anil Kumar Saini, CEO, Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, said, "The civil and systems work for Phase 1 is expected to be completed by June 30, while Phase 2 is targeted for completion by the end of August. We are progressing as per schedule."
Responding to a question from The Bridge Chronicle on the final inauguration date and when the corridor would open to commuters, Saini said the decision would rest with the state government.
"The work for the first phase will be completed by the end of June and the second phase by the end of August. The inauguration date will be decided by the Government of Maharashtra and Hon'ble Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis," he said.
Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL) is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed through a strategic joint venture between TRIL Urban Transport Private Limited (a Tata Group company) and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH for the development, implementation, and operation of Pune Metro Line 3.
The project is being executed as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). PMRDA has granted PITCMRL a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) concession for 35 years, with the option to extend it for an additional 25 years.
Pune Metro Line 3 is the first metro project in India to be developed under the Government of India's New Metro Policy, 2017, which encourages private sector participation in the development of metro rail infrastructure.